[The
Times, U.K.]
Nachrichten, Switzerland
Obama Embodies the Spirit of a New Age
"Economically, culturally and militarily, the notion
that the strongest must stand alone has been shown to be absurd. Cooperation
rather than confrontation and negotiation rather than dictation are the new and
astounding ideas embodied by Obama."
By
Patrik Etschmayer
Translated
By Patrik Etschmayer
November
5, 2008
Switzerland - Nachrichten -
Original Article (German)
The victory of Barack Obama is historic. Historic, because
Obama was an impossible candidate that ran an impossible campaign against all
the odds and expectations. It has been said that the final phase of an election
campaign is a little like a knife-fight between two violent criminals in a
phone-booth. But this time it was only John McCain wielding the knife. Obama
wouldn’t even get into the phone-booth.
This alone shows that someone wanted to break with
America's recent political tradition. That rupture reflects the new Zeitgeist
[The spirit of the age 
].
After 20 years of whipping up emotion and eight years of a government that
declared wishful thinking to be the 
basis of its policies, reality crashed down on the U.S. and the rest of
the world like a 16 ton weight out of a Monty Python Cartoon.
Economically, culturally and militarily, the notion
that the strongest must stand alone has been shown to be absurd. Cooperation
rather than confrontation and negotiation rather than dictation are the new and
astounding ideas embodied by Obama.
But one should have no
illusions. The challenges are enormous and the status quo is - to put it mildly
- highly problematic. The Bush Administration has left behind a desolate global
situation, and not a few of the world's leaders continue to regard a readiness
to compromise as a weakness. Obama mustn't be a cuddly president if he wishes
to succeed.
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
The re-regulation of the financial markets, the
promotion of new energy sources, the rescue of American industry,
simultaneously prosecuting two wars and the rise of new powers, all while
reconciling with the Allies promises to be a juggling act that will demand the
best of even the savviest politician - and more. It is absurd to believe that
no china will be broken and no irritations will emerge.
'FAIRY
TALE'
[Het Parool, The Netherlands]
Obama in no magician - and McCain would have been less
so - but he has one great advantage: He can, since he isn’t committed to a
rigid doctrine and doesn't believe himself to be on a divine mission (like Bush
has), act according to rational and pragmatic reasoning. He can finally
reestablish a government based on reality - no matter how bleak that may be
once initiated.
His cabinet will probably not be limited to Democrats
and independents, but will also include moderate Republicans, with Colin Powell
being the most compelling if not a mandatory option. If Obama widens the
Congressional majorities he won during the election by successfully integrating
Republicans without alienating House and Senate Democrats - he could actually
lead America out of its state of Bush-era disrepair.
Thus, there is reason for cautious optimism about the
future of this world power called the United States. The capacity of that
country to change and reform itself was (from the standpoint of a year ago)
impressively demonstrated by this surprising election result. Of course,
changing the world won't come easy just because of that. But the outlook has
changed. The narrow, ugly path that Bush chose is giving way - at least for now - to a wide open path that offers a new future, new
possibilities and hope. Now it is up to Obama to lead his country beyond this
field of dreams and allow new realities to take root.
CLICK HERE FOR GERMAN
VERSION
[Posted by
WORLDMEETS.US November 6, 1:12pm]
