Obama’s Nomination Starts Fixing America’s Image

America’s image during the last seven and a half years hasn’t been the Statue of Liberty but the photos from Abu Ghraib. The nation that used to pride itself on being a “shining city on a hill” became Darth Vader’s empire in the minds of many non-Americans. Last night, Senator Barack Hussein Obama of Illinois secured enough delegates to claim the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party. Judging by the headlines from overseas, America has got the world’s attention over this.

Starting in Britain, a nation divided from America by a common language, the UK edition of The Times has as its lead this morning, “Victorious Barack Obama Seizes Moment in History.” It follows with an analysis called “The American Dream.” The more down-market Daily Mail covers the story under the headline “Obama Claims Historic Victory in Race to be President . . . but Hillary Refuses to Concede Defeat.” Even-further down-market, The Sun’s story is “Barack Obama Makes History and Moves a Step Closer to Becoming First Black American President.” This was echoed up north as The Scotsman reported “Barack Obama Takes a Big Step Towards Becoming the First Black US President.”

America’s neighbors have a similar view. Toronto’s Globe and Mail simply says, “It’s Obama’s Party,” and adds a video on its website, “Obama Makes History.” Canada’s The National Post ran the headline “The Democrats Have Their Man,” and adds a live blog under the title, “A Historic Night for Obama and America.” In Mexico City, La Prensa runs a story called “Barack Obama, the First Black Candidate [for President] in the United States.” Reforma merely says “Y es . . .ˇObama!”

Elsewhere, The People’s Daily from Beijing [English version] ran a headline, “Obama Set to Make History Tuesday Night.” Al Jazeera covered it with “Obama Declares Nomination Victory,” but also added a poll story under the title “Obama ‘Favorite Global Candidate’.” In Germany, the Berliner Morgenpost wrote, “Barack Obamas Sieg ist Wie Die Mondlandung,” essentially comparing his win to the moon landing. In France, Le Monde profiles the Illinois senator as “Barack Obama, un destin Americain,” an American of destiny.

In Durban, South Africa, the headline of the Daily News was, “Obama Win Makes History.” The Sowetan runs with “Obama Clinches Democratic Nomination for US President,” but the lead paragraph is “Barack Obama has made history, capturing the Democratic White House nomination as the first black candidate atop a major-party ticket, after a giant-slaying win over Hillary Clinton.” Kenya’s Daily Nation writes, “Historic Moment as Obama Triumphs.”

He may not win the general election. Even if elected, he may lead the nation out of the mess it’s in and take it into an even bigger mess. Yet, regardless of what happens from here, the world looks at America a bit differently this morning. And after the last 7 ˝ years, that can only be an improvement.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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