In the fevered frenzy surrounding the seminal moment of the historical election of a new African-American President, are we perhaps all not getting carried away by the furore associated with the euphoric hype created by this election, which I dare say is tantamount to a Hollywood movie epic production (with apologies to ABBA)… Obama-Mia! perhaps?
Whilst acknowledging that President-Elect Barack Obama is undoubtedly a great, articulate orator who commands a magnificent statesman-like presence and aura, he nevertheless remains an unknown quantity whose achievements are as yet unproven. One achievement not contested is the fact that he has managed to attain the highest political position in his country, swept into office on a tide of irrepressible hope, but we must acknowledge that he is the President of that country alone and not of the whole world!
Whilst he stands on the brink of greatness at the threshold of the White House, must we not reflect on the fact that in this time of change, did fortune not smile most fortuitously on him? And that the fact that he was a man of colour was actually advantageous, by his exquisite timing of being in the right place at the right time? Ironically there will now be a black man in a White House!
It is my submission that the euphoria attached to his coming to power is rather similar to when the UK elected a certain Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister who primarily attained such high office because of her gender rather than policies, and who came along exactly when the electorate was crying out for change and demanded such – but subsequently was established as an unmitigated disaster. Will it all end in tears also?
I am not remotely implying that Obama can be compared to Thatcher neither that ultimately he will not make a great President or leader on the world stage, but rather reserve judgment until such time as his immense potential and promise is fulfilled and proven with the true unveiling of the man and his fundamentals. Only the passage of time can reveal.
It would be interesting to learn how many of the electorate voted for him because of his policies or manifesto, or who did so in the belief that his irrefutable charismatic sophistication could be perceived as a general panacea or, dare I suggest, his skin tone?
In any event, what feasible alternative did the American electorate have? For no Republican candidate could possibly have competed with him, because of the eight preceding years of a Republican buffoon masquerading as a President, and least of all when confronted by a political opponent of whom it was cruelly said was so old that he once actually “owned” Barack Obama’s father, and possibly would not have survived seeing out a term of office as President in any event.
Who in all honesty could say that this time last year they had heard of Barack Obama? Or if they knew the name somehow associate it as connected with a terrorist organisation rather than the fact that he was a Democratic candidate running for the office of President of the USA!
We all appear to be too ready to seize this seismic moment and blindly accept an un-anointed, although inspirational, saviour in our midst as Obama is widely perceived. It is not my intention to appear negative or dismissive but to merely exercise caution and prudence before declaring any definitive decisions regarding the President-Elect’s ambitions turning into actual achievements, for I venture to suggest the world is full of derelict messiahs who never provided what they promised.
It is my fervent wish that Obama’s actions prove to be as awe-inspiring and good as he looks and sounds but sometimes all that is required is the substance of a bottom-line as opposed to fine rhetoric.
At long last the American people can now have a President to look up to and admire for noble family values and virtues rather than the recent lamentable indiscretions of his predecessors. Only time will tell until the world discovers what he is made of.

Peter Murray
Mosta

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