President-Elect Obama: What Does BRIC Think?

Some responses to Obama's election from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and the Middle East, via BBC:

From the BBC's Brazilian news service:

"It will not change anything. The President is new but the old foxes remain the same. He will govern with the very same people who have managed the country for a long time. His election is purely political marketing." (Kratan Heillter, from Cachoeiras de Macacu, RJ)

"As we all know, anybody is better than Bush. But we have to be aware that US Presidents are elected to protect American interests." (Ingo da Silva, PR)

From the Hindi news service:

"I find it so exciting that a black man has been able to reach the most powerful post in the world. This proves the theory that you can win hearts only on the strength of understanding people's feelings. This is definitely the victory of democracy." (Iman Khan, Delhi, India)

From the Arabic news service:

"Congratulations to President Obama. We hope that the policies of the USA will change as he has promised during his campaign. To Bush we say good riddance!" (Majid, Kuwait)

"I was sure he would win. I prayed for him to win. I see this man as ushering a new opening. Obama has more to offer. I hope he pays attention to Iraq and what is going on here. I hope he helps Iraq to be re-born." (Ehsan, Basra, Iraq)

From the Russian news service:

"I really like Obama, and his wife has impressed me. What I worry about is the way he was brought to victory. It seemed like the Democrats were playing chess, while Republicans were playing giveaway chess. They set up an old man paired up with a housewife against the handsome Obama. I am afraid that now they will make Obama take unpopular decisions and then use him as a scapegoat." (Uncle Sasha, St Petersburg, Russia)

"If tomorrow we were electing the president of planet Earth, I would choose Obama." (Andrei Sidorenko, Vladivostok, Russia)

From the Chinese news service:

The first black American President has been elected, this is the pride of America and the American people. Obama's father is from a Kenyan village, an immigrant to the States but his son has become the president of the USA. This is unthinkable in China, where the head of the minority regions are often Han Chinese, so it is clear who is pushing discrimination." (Anonymous)

"American elections have shaken me to the core. I have always thought the Chinese political system is the best in the world, but it is not so. We are deprived of our sacred rights, rule of law and human rights are trampled upon. To have a democratic system like the one in the USA is more difficult than touching the sky... But we long to achieve freedom and democracy, which is a difficult task for us young people in China." (Anonymous)

(Image courtesy Danwei news service)

http://www.danwei.org/2008/11/06/JDM081106obamas2.jpg