What impression do you people in the UK and Ireland have of Barack Obama?

Question

Greetings from Ohio,USA...

Answer 1

Reactions are generally positive, but with plenty of people who are against him just because he's a politician.

Of course as far as most people know, he's the next president and they might have heard that there's another guy too. I've seen Obama on the news almost whenever I watch it, I've seen McCain once and they were still talking about Obama at the time if I recall correctly.

My personal reaction is against them both, but with McCain as the lesser evil. That's only because I've been looking up both of them though.

Answer 2

All we care about is that you get rid of those awful Republicans.

We are cynical about all politicians, that goes for Barack Obama as much as anyone else.  We judge them by there actions not their promises. Obama is saying mostly the right things, but talk is cheap.  

Personally I find his insistance that America should be leading the world politically, shows that Americans still haven't worked out why they are so unpopular.

If the democrats only gain the control of the whitehouse, won't he have the same problems as the Clintons in getting things done?

Answer 3

he reminds me of tony blair

in 1997 smiley smiley tony blair made loads of promises.  a decade later and we all feel mugged

my guess is it'll be the same with obama if he gets elected.  he seems like a blowhard to me

Answer 4

They love him, and find Sarah Palin downright scary.

Answer 5

Greetings from Scotland he seems to have made a positive impression over here after all he has very little to beat as regards the President you have at the moment.

Trade you Barack for Gordon Brown.

The potential VP from Alaska scares the h**l out of me she doesn't believe in abortion but she gets up at 3 in the morning to shoot defenceless animals.

Answer 6

Honestly, to begin with he seemed to many people here an interesting candidate. We were already familiar with Hilary Clinton and knew what she stood for and John McCain seemed just an extension of the GWB administration and anything is preferable to that.

So, when Obama was given the Democratic nomination he gained support over here because he claims there will be "change" from the current policy in the US. That said, anyone would have been popular who was going up against the cabal who seemed to have hijacked the Republican party, regardless if they were Democrat or an Independent.

He was/is getting a large amount of press coverage mainly because of his age and, of course, race.

However, many people I've spoken to are now a little unsure about him as he appears not to have any actual policies to implement this change - or if he does word hasn't reached us yet of what they are. There is a growing concern that he is an empty suit and the promise of "change" is just an election tool. We're hoping that's not the case but there is a nagging sensation that there are going to be some dashed hopes. Judgements are being reserved until he is elected and begins to take some action.

Greetings from London.

Answer 7

I like Obama!  He seems better than dusty old "oven chips" McCain!

Answer 8

The UK and Ireland LOVE Obama! :-)  

Answer 9

The media reaction has been almost entirely positive. However this could largely be because almost everyone here thinks George W Bush was a disaster, and therefore anyone else is preferable.

Probably almost everyone in UK would like to see Obama as President, but it doesn't really matter what we think does it? I can't get over the feeling that there is a very large silent majority in USA that isn't represented in the media that would rather gouge their eyes out than see Obama as president, for various reasons other than the obvious one.

Answer 10

Let me see a lawyer like Tony Blair same smile same look in the eye makes great speeches like Tony Blair look out thats all i can say!

Answer 11

- i'm from ireland and i think barack obama is great, i would love to see him become president of America.. although i don't live there the president of America has an influence on us too. :D

The majority of people over here would preffer Obama over Mc Cain =]

Answer 12

To be honest the press reaction to Obama has been overwhelmingly positive in the UK. This is in both the left and right wing newspapers.

Answer 13

My family in Ireland and my husband's mom, sister, brother etc in Scotland don't like Obama...  

Answer 14

so long as he isn't some nutter we don't care