Disillusionment About Obama?

U.S. President Barak Hussein Obama came to White House as one of the most popular leader of U.S. He was equally popular abroad and people took him to be a man of change. He himself chose ‘change’ to be spirit of his presidential campaign. With his election views about U.S. favorability in the world begin to hike and so was the views about U.S. leadership. Far more people across the world expected him to do right things in the international affairs than President Bush. This surge in public opinion about U.S. and its leadership was quite obvious in 2009 opinion polls.

Some 18 months down the line, public opinion though largely intact but has begun to deteriorate. Favorable opinion of U.S. in many countries has started declining except in East Europe where it has ameliorated. The decline in a survey of 22 countreis is between 1 to 10 percentage points, the highest decline is observed in Egypt. Similarly the views of President Obama himself have begun to decline again except in Russia where his views have improved by 4 percentage points. The decline is between 2 to 12 percentage points and the highest decline is observed in Argentina, Mexico, China, Turkey and U.S. itself.


The publics that were highly enthusiastic in 2008 and the same trend sustained through 2009 seems to have become disillusioned about President Obama. In his 18 months in office the larger picture at the international front has remained the same. Economic crisis though beginning to disappear but still people in many countries are struggling. The situation in Afghanistan and Iraq has not much changed and the public demands for withdrawal of forces are still to be materialized. The tension with Iran is continuing without any practical solution for the Iranian Nuclear crisis. The Palestine issue has been revitalized with the Flotilla episode and U.S. role remained ambiguous in this crisis as ever. Similarly on climate change issue public across the world are not happy with the U.S. policies.

The performance of President Obama on the above counts has disillusioned the world that he probably can not deliver beyond a certain limit. Keeping these changing public sentiments across the world and in U.S. itself, how do you feel that President Obama will go down in history as a popular President of U.S? Will he be able to maintain a positive image of himself and U.S. in the world? What steps do you think will be essential for President Obama to take at home and regarding international affairs to maintain his image as a popular President?