The Obama Effect, Tamzin Atkins

Tamzin Atkins
The Obama Effect

Interview One
Grant Bronsdon

Grant Bronsdon is 16 years old and lives in Seattle, WA. He attends Garfield High School with me and we have known each other since 3rd grade. My goal from this interview was to get an American student’s opinion perspective about what they thought of the election of Obama and what this means for the United States’ future. Bronsdon is Caucasian and labels himself as a Democrat, even though he cannot legally vote. Bronsdon also attended Barack Obama’s inauguration in Washington, D.C.

When did you first learn who Barack Obama is? As a US Senator? A democratic presidential candidate before the US Primary? The democratic candidate for President of the United States? Or after he became President?

I first heard of him well before he was a presidential candidate, probably as a senator. He spoke at the 2004 Democratic Convention, and he was an incredible orator. I didn't hear much about him after that until probably late 2007 to early 2008, as the primary lead up began.

If you were a United States citizen, would you have voted for Obama to be the US President?

I would have voted for him if I had been old enough to vote, yes. I considered him better than McCain/Palin on almost every issue.

When did you develop any specific opinions and/or views about him?

I developed opinions as I heard him speak, and as I began to explore his views. This was at least a month or two before the first primary.

If you do have opinions about Obama, what are they?

I think he’s an incredible speaker, and he’s done a pretty good job in office so far. He could do more, and I think he pursued some issues too far. He does need to address some of the promises he made in his campaign, though.

Did you ever consider Obama's race when you developed your views?

I would be lying if I said I didn’t consider it. I don’t think it really impacted me, but his race really impacted everything about his campaign and about people’s views of him. You might not be moved either negatively or positively because he’s black, but it is definitely one of the first things you think about.

Did you ever consider Obama’s educational and career background previous to his presidency?

Education, yes, but only briefly. All of the major candidates had extensive educational backgrounds as well. His career background seemed like a good track to become a leader, even though it was a short career.

What do you like about his views and priorities?

I like that he made it a major issue to get healthcare passed, and he then did get it passed. I agree with his views on abortion, affirmative action, etc.

What do you dislike about his views and priorities?

I dislike how he’s pushed off issues such as Guantanamo Bay and ignored his promises about these issues. I do think that he’s done a pretty good job overall, but the general media perception is that he has done badly.

How does having an African-American US President affect your personal life?

It doesn’t affect my personal life at all. I don’t think we can hold up his election as proof that our country is past racism, because that in itself is hypocritical. Our country will be past racism once we don’t care about having a black or white or red or pink President. Once that doesn’t matter, we will have “won”, but I don’t think that day will ever come.

What kind of an impact does an African-American US President have on your country and its government?

It can make our country look more tolerant worldwide. Again, though, it’s not his skin color that truly matters, it’s his policies and his actions. “It is our choices, Harry, far more than our abilities that define who we truly are.” –Albus Dumbledore

Do you think he can improve the United States’ reputation across the world?

Yes! When I visited Europe last summer, among Europeans that I met, most were friendly with us, and after we said we were American, they would say something about Obama and how he was a big improvement. Bush had a general negative impact in other areas around the world because of his wars, torture policies, etc., but Obama can rectify some of the damage.

Do you think Obama can improve international relations with the United States? Are there still some relationships that he cannot mend?

He can improve relations with most countries, but I don’t think everything can be fixed just by Obama. He’s not a superhero. Will he help? Yes. Will he change everything for the better? No. To countries such as North Korea, he remains more or less the same as George W. Bush.

Do you think Obama is able to make relations better between the US and the Middle East?

Yes, but not because of his race. He is more open-minded in terms of dealing with people, and he can help to change the image of America in their countries.

Do you think Obama is dealing with international political pressures appropriately? Especially with the Middle East? And nuclear weapon-ready countries (especially Iran and North Korea)?

With international pressures, yes. Domestically is another story. I think his real test will be what he does in Afghanistan. Over $1 trillion worth of minerals were recently found there, and whether to stay or go from THAT will define his presidency. I think he’s doing a good job with North Korea, Iran, by not backing down and taking a stand. The question remains, can he keep it up?

Interview Two
Dennis Smith

Dennis Smith is 16 years old and lives in Seattle, WA. He attends Garfield High School and I have known him since 6th grade. My goal from this interview was to get an American student’s opinion perspective about what they thought of the election of Obama and what this means for the United States’ future. Smith is Caucasian and labels himself as a Republican, even though he cannot legally vote.

When did you first learn who Barack Obama is? As a US Senator? A democratic presidential candidate before the US Primary? The democratic candidate for President of the United States? Or after he became President?

I first learned about Obama during his campaign for the nomination of the Democratic Party.

If you were a United States citizen, would you have voted for Obama to be the US President?

I would not have voted for Barack Obama. Although at the end of his campaign trail i supported him far more than I do now.

When did you develop any specific opinions and/or views about him?

I really developed specific opinions about a year into his term. I realized that he had fulfilled almost none of his promises, and hadn't even attempted to do anything. He did very little to help and even straight up lied to the American people (Guantanamo Bay, Troop Withdrawal, Public Bill Review). At first I thought that he could maybe do something, but as it is he seems to have really done nothing. I think that my main opinion of Obama is fear and respect. I fear him because he has basically lied to the whole populace and yet people still eat out of the palm of his hand and call him "inspirational". I respect him because he somehow keeps up this charade.

Did you ever consider Obama's race when you developed your views?

Of course I did. All the news cared about was "Black President". It’s kind of hard to ignore it when the whole country only cares if our president is black or not. I formed my opinions based on his promises and goals, which did not align with my own ideas. I also think that many people treat him as a novelty. "it’s so cool how we have a black president" sounds a lot like "It’s so cool that I have a new car" or "it’s so cool that I got an Xbox". I know many people that really only supported him because of how "cool" it would be to have a black president. To me he is just a man, not a black man. I try not to see him as black, but as human. If he was white, i would dislike him just the same since I simply don’t agree with his opinions.

Did you ever consider Obama’s educational and career background previous to his presidency?

I really didn’t. I know a lot of conservative pundits talked about how he wasn’t qualified and he was only a senator for too short a time. I thought i would give him the benefit of the doubt when he got elected, but now I just don’t trust him. Maybe he did need more experience.

What do you like about his views and priorities?

I like his opinions on Kanye. He was a jackass.

What do you dislike about his views and priorities?

I don’t like his opinions on national healthcare, I don’t think that higher taxes are the way to go in this economy, and I don’t like how he constantly switches priorities whenever something goes wrong. When he started his presidency, it was all about the economy. As the bailouts became ‘failouts,’ he dodged the blame by switching everyone's attention first to Swine Flu, then to healthcare. Now that he finally got his healthcare bill passed, yet it will cost millions more before any benefit is had, he again scapegoats to BP, and how we all need to point fingers. He doesn’t solve any problems, just distracts people from his own disorganized priorities. I also would like a president that can throw a baseball.

How does having an African-American US President affect your personal life?

Other than people talking about how "inspirational" it is, it doesn’t affect me at all. I honestly could care less if he is black; it is his value as a president that matters most.

What kind of an impact does an African-American US President have on your country and its government?

I think that all he will do to improve our reputation with the world is kiss ass and apologize for America. He comes off like a wimp, which i guess people might like because they can walk all over him. I think that the rest of the world will eventually see how lost he really is.

Do you think he can improve the United States’ reputation across the world? Do you think Obama can improve international relations with the United States? Are there still some relationships that he cannot mend?

I think that he might be able to mend some relationships through, as mentioned above, ass kissing and worthless apologies. I think that there are some groups that will hate us no matter what (Palestinians).

Do you think Obama is able to make relations better between the US and the Middle East?

Absolutely not. Unless he just hands over Jerusalem on a silver platter, I don’t think he can really do anything. Maybe he will prove to be a successful diplomat, but I doubt that the president of the PNA and the prime minister of Israel will ever shake hands under Obama's watchful eye.

Do you think Obama is dealing with international political pressures appropriately? Especially with the Middle East? And nuclear weapon-ready countries (especially Iran and North Korea)?

I think that he isn’t dealing with these issues. As I stated earlier, he scapegoats and tries to focus attention elsewhere. I don’t blame him if he can’t make headway with some Middle East nations and Iran and North Korea. Unless he hands over Israel, some Middle East nations will still hate us. And unless he just hands nukes over to North Korea and Iran, I doubt that there is much good coming from those two places. Even if we gave them nukes, I bet they would just shoot them back at us anyway. This is one thing that I don’t blame on Obama. Some people just won’t be amicable unless they get their way, and these are some prime examples. 
Interview Three
Janelle Wortman

Janelle Wortman is 16 years old and lives in Seattle, WA. She attends Garfield High School and I have known her since 4th grade. My goal from this interview was to get an American student’s opinion perspective about what they thought of the election of Obama and what this means for the United States’ future. Wortman is Caucasian and labels herself as a Republican, even though she cannot legally vote.

When did you first learn who Barack Obama is? As a US Senator? A democratic presidential candidate before the US Primary? The democratic candidate for President of the United States? Or after he became President?

I first learned about him when he was a presidential candidate before the US primary.

If you were a United States citizen, would you have voted for Obama to be the US President?

No, I wouldn't have voted for Obama. I'm a Republican and I do not agree with the things Obama supports.

When did you develop any specific opinions and/or views about him?

I began just disliking him in general when I learned he was a democrat, but that was nothing personal. I would have felt the same towards any Democratic candidate. When he became the leading candidate for the Democratic Party, I learned more things about him like that just reinforced my conception of the Democratic Party.

If you do have opinions about Obama, what are they?

I believe he is too into the fame and hype, and I believe America is too excited about him as well. It unsettles me a little that he's Muslim. He is much too liberal for my tastes and I think, in general, that he is carrying America to hell in a hand basket.

Actually, Obama is not Muslim, he’s Christian.

Oh. Well, it still unsettles me. He’s way too liberal.

Did you ever consider Obama's race when you developed your views?

Well, it's not the fact that he's multiracial that bothers me. It's that fact that people make such a big deal out of it. He's a majority WHITE. People need to base their views on his policies not just "Oh wouldn't that be cool to have a black president."

Did you ever consider Obama’s educational and career background previous to his presidency?

Well, I'm not very educated on Obama's history, though I heard he was a lawyer before a political career. This just doesn't sit right with me, as I've also heard he was highly unsuccessful.

What do you like about his views and priorities?

I honestly can't think of any.

What do you dislike about his views and priorities?

I dislike his support of gay marriage and abortion. I am very strongly against those things. Also, he is quite anti-gun and I strongly believe in the upholding of the second amendment. I'm a member of the local gun club and love to shoot and some of Obama's idea would heavily regulate gun sales, availability, and taxes. We need border control, not gun control. I disapprove of Obama's healthcare plan. Though I do not claim to be an expert on it, I do know that I do not want my hard-earned money to go to pay for someone else's medical bills. If they can't pay the price, they should personally find a solution to their problem, not depend on the government.

How does having an African-American US President affect your personal life?

Again, it gets under my skin that people love Obama so much. They're too caught up. The posters that have Obama above Lincoln, Kennedy, and other great presidents put me beyond words. People don't realize that there's a whole other part of the country that doesn't approve of Obama. Everytime I see a person with an Obama bumper sticker or sweatshirt, I think I little less of them. This is because Obama represents things that go against the very core of my beliefs.

What kind of an impact does an African-American US President have on your country and its
government?

I think people are afraid to oppose him because people might accuse them of being racist. But again, HE'S NOT THAT BLACK. Get over it people. Don't judge someone by the color of their skin, whether the judgment is a good one bad one.

Do you think he can improve the United States’ reputation across the world?

Well, I hope he does, but I also hope it will have nothing to do with him being black. He needs to earn a good reputation just like someone should earn a Nobel Peace Prize for things they actually did, not things they are trying to do. (*Cough* Another thing I don't like about him. Even the Nobel people are caught up in the hype.)

Do you think Obama can improve international relations with the United States? Are there still some relationships that he cannot mend?

As long as he is committed to a party, there will be people who disapprove of him, so yes, there are relationships that can't be mended.

Do you think Obama is able to make relations better between the US and the Middle East?

I honestly have very low expectations for Obama, so if he does, it'll be a welcome surprise. In general, I support the Iraq War, so I'm not someone who just would vote for Obama to get the troops home ASAP, though I would like as many men and women to come home alive as possible.

Do you think Obama is dealing with international political pressures appropriately? Especially with the Middle East? And nuclear weapon-ready countries (especially Iran and North Korea)?

I don't know much about this topic, so I feel I cannot accurately comment.
 
Interview Four
Olachi Oleru

Olachi Oleru is 16 years old and lives in Seattle, WA. She attends Garfield High School and I have known her since 3rd grade. My goal from this interview was to get an American student’s opinion perspective about what they thought of the election of Obama and what this means for the United States’ future. Oleru is African-American and labels herself as a Democrat, even though she cannot legally vote. Oleru also attended Barack Obama’s inauguration in Washington, D.C.

When did you first learn who Barack Obama is? As a US Senator? A democratic presidential candidate before the US Primary? The democratic candidate for President of the United States? Or after he became President?

I learned about Barack Obama about two years before he ran for President, in Ms. Hoffacker’s class [we had our Language Arts class together in 8th grade]. So when he was a Senator.

If you were a United States citizen, would you have voted for Obama to be the US President?

Yes, definitely.

When did you develop any specific opinions and/or views about him?

I started following him when he decided to run for President. I started listening to his views and opinions. So whenever it was when he started running, that’s when.

If you do have opinions about Obama, what are they?

I think of him as any other President. He makes promises that are out of his reach, but they take more than his term to achieve [the promises].

Did you ever consider Obama's race when you developed your views?

Definitely. But then I realized that he is just like any other presidential candidate, regardless. I was happy that it seemed like he was winning, but I think that he would have won if he were white as well.

Did you ever consider Obama’s educational and career background previous to his presidency?

No, I don’t know about it.

Barack Obama eventually found his way to Harvard Law School. What do you think about that?

Well, I think that’s impressive. Especially because that was around the 70s or 80s, right? The Civil Rights Movement was ending, but there was still a lot of segregation and racism, more than there is today. Being African-American, it was probably hard to stay focused in school especially if people bullied him.

What do you like about his views and priorities?

I like how he is not judgmental at all and tries to reach out towards all aspects of human society.

What do you dislike about his views and priorities?

I dislike how long the troops are taking to come home.

How does having an African-American US President affect your personal life?

I never thought it would happen. And honestly, I don’t think he could have won it. John McCain and Sarah Palin weren’t such bad candidates. He probably would have lost because of his race, not his views.

What kind of an impact does an African-American US President have on your country and its
government?

I don’t think anything is affected by this, honestly. I think America will start to claim that it is less raciest now, but nothing will change.

Do you think he can improve the United States’ reputation across the world?

Yes, he will soften the relationships between the US and the Middle East at least.

Do you think Obama can improve international relations with the United States? Are there still some relationships that he cannot mend?

There are some people in the world who will never have faith in the US, but he will change others.

Do you think Obama is able to make relations better between the US and the Middle East?

Yes, like I said before.

Do you think Obama is dealing with international political pressures appropriately? Especially with the Middle East? And nuclear weapon-ready countries (especially Iran and North Korea)?

Honestly, I haven’t been following things like that. I find it is less stressful when I don’t watch the news.

If you don’t know what’s going on, what makes you support him?

From watching his campaign speeches and following before the election, I supported him. He may have changed since then, but I don’t know. And I think deep down I probably don’t want him to fail because he is our first Black President. 
Interview Five
Kerry Curry

Kerry Curry is 52 years old and lives in Perth, Australia. She is my friend’s aunt, of whom I have known since 6th grade. Curry is not very familiar with the United States politics, but she was eager to be interviewed.

When did you first learn who Barack Obama is? As a US Senator? A democratic presidential candidate before the US Primary? The democratic candidate for President of the United States? Or after he became President?

The Democratic candidate for President of the United States.

If you were a United States citizen, would you have voted for Obama to be the US President?

Yes.

When did you develop any specific opinions and/or views about him?

I guess during the election.

If you do have opinions about Obama, what are they?

He seems like a fresh face to politics with modern views and opinions.

Did you ever consider Obama's race when you developed your views?

No.

Did you ever consider Obama’s educational and career background previous to his presidency?

No.

What do you like about his views and priorities?

To me, he seems to want to change the way Middle Eastern countries view Americans.

What do you dislike about his views and priorities?

I don’t know enough about them to comment.

How does having an African-American US President affect your personal life?

Not at all.

What kind of an impact does an African-American US President have on your country and its government?

None that I know of.

Do you think he can improve the United States’ reputation across the world?

Let’s hope so!!

Do you think Obama can improve international relations with the United States? Are there still some relationships that he cannot mend?

I don’t know enough about your politics to comment.

Do you think Obama is able to make relations better between the US and the Middle East?

I know he is trying and it would be good if he could change a few opinions.

Do you think Obama is dealing with international political pressures appropriately? Especially with the Middle East? And nuclear weapon-ready countries (especially Iran and North Korea)?

I don’t know enough about this to comment.
 
Interview Six
Mike Meyer

Mike Meyer is 54 years old and lives in Perth, Australia. Meyer is my friend’s uncle, of whom I have known since 6th grade.

When did you first learn who Barack Obama is? As a US Senator? A democratic presidential candidate before the US Primary? The democratic candidate for President of the United States? Or after he became President?

We first heard about Obama when he was a candidate a little before the Primary. We really don't understand that Primary system as we have nothing like it in Australia. Here the political parties nominate their candidates without any public participation. Our system seems a lot more sensible for us. We were excited about Obama (anyone would be better than Bush was).

If you were a United States citizen, would you have voted for Obama to be the US President?

Yes. I think most people outside the US would have voted for anyone who changed the Bush policies. The other candidate (was he McCain?) seemed too old and seemed to support too many of Bush's policies.

When did you develop any specific opinions and/or views about him?

We didn't know a whole lot about his policies. We heard a few snippets of his speeches on the news and we knew he was a good public speaker. I formed most of my opinions just before the US election.

If you do have opinions about Obama, what are they?

He is better than any recent US president, but he doesn't seem to be getting much done. We are used to our Prime Ministers actually delivering on their election promises -- but in our system that is possible because the PM is head of the lower house (your Congress) and there is very rarely a hostile Senate (our upper house is called the Senate too).

Did you ever consider Obama's race when you developed your views?

Not really.

Did you ever consider Obama’s educational and career background previous to his presidency?

Of course. We are often surprised at how unqualified some of the US Presidents seem to be (for example Bush). Obama seemed to be qualified (as a lawyer and a senator) and he seemed to be smart. But we really didn't know a lot about him.

What do you like about his views and priorities?

Health care is a big issue in Australia too. We do have government sponsored health and we could never understand how there are so many uninsured people in the US. We also liked his foreign policies and the promise to get out of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What do you dislike about his views and priorities?

His views are fine. However he still seems to be promising more than he can deliver and that is disappointing to the entire world. A small point, he has postponed a visit to Australia 2 or 3 times. It makes us feel really unimportant.

How does having an African-American US President affect your personal life?

Not at all. Having a reasonable President is important. His race doesn't matter.

What kind of an impact does an African-American US President have on your country and its government?

Probably none. The aboriginal Australians are probably somewhat excited (I don't know for sure), but his race is not important otherwise.

Do you think he can improve the United States’ reputation across the world?

Yes. There is no way he can make it worse after Bush. And he is saying all the right things. It just isn't clear that he can deliver on any of them. But perceptions of the US have definitely improved.

Do you think Obama can improve international relations with the United States? Are there still some relationships that he cannot mend?

There are a lot of relationships he will have problems with. The relationship with China will remain difficult. The "war on terror" is a very odd concept and while relationships with the Muslim world might get better, they won't be good.

Do you think Obama is able to make relations better between the US and the Middle East?

Like what I just said. Better, but not good. The recent problems in Gaza are a case in point. The US continues with its absolute support for Israel, and while it does those relationships with the Middle East will be at best strained. Better, but strained.

Do you think Obama is dealing with international political pressures appropriately? Especially with the Middle East? And nuclear weapon-ready countries (especially Iran and North Korea)?

That is a really difficult question. I have no idea what the right things to do are. I think a more balanced policy to all parties in the Middle East would be useful.