L'amour d'Obama

Even before the elections I knew, by practically every French person I spoke to, that the French love Obama. He was spoken about favorably by the media and spoken about frequently. What was even more amazing to witness was that these feelings were given an opportunity for expression, which the French normally do only reluctantly (other than at dinner parties and with close friends). As soon as I stepped out of my apartment, I saw two girls, one with OBAMA on her right cheek in black ink, scurrying down the sidewalk. On the metro, a wizzened old "hipster" wore an ObamaElection08 T-shirt and had pins on his jacket. People were reading the free "Metro" papers given out on the subway that had all the up-to-date analysis and numbers. Back at home, each channel (this morning too) was covering all the angles of the election. Most channels also showed coverage from around the world. People all around the world are jumping up, hootin' and hollerin' with joy at Obama's victory. Once again, I heard that "Obama is the President of the world" because for many, the man who is president of the United States carries power to affect the world. Everyone is caught up in the wave of enthusiasm and hope that Obama's message carries.