Obamamania in the 51st state
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It was a strange experience entering the offices of Prime PR at 06.00 o'clock in the morning, with a heavy fog rolling in from the Baltic Sea. I rose from bed at a godforsaken hour to listen to who gets elected president of the United States. Would I do this for a Swedish election?
Nice breakfast, lovely people...
but I am half a world away seeing Barack Obama being elected President of the United States of America.
The interest for European politics is low in Sweden. Would people be able to point out their MEP's or even President Barroso?
In a way it is understandable, American politics are much closer. It still is a superpower even if the financial crisis has ruffeled its feathers. Few nations in the world have had such an impact on politics, the economy, culture and all at once.
Sure. What happens in Brussels,Paris, London Strasbourg, Rom and Budapest does influence our lives more than we think but we often know more about the US than the EU.
The Swedish economist and journalist Johan Hakelius once wrote that Swedes often pose very American questions to their own society, which makes us expect American sounding answers. Mr. Hakelius certainly a has a good point, but hearing McCain's and Obama's final speeches leaves Swedish politicians lacking in the rhetorics departement.
Maybe its the passion for politics, and the work of the volunteers that fascinates us?
I think this can be built for European politics too, but the necessary media and source development has not been made in order evaluate Europe in the same way as the US. maybe that is part of my passion for cafebabel.com?
Congratulations Mr. President, and thank you for the demonstration in democracy. Now it is the turn of us Europeans.
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