I hope that the new administration is given enough time to make considered plans that will have a long-term impact. The expectation surrounding Obama's presidency has raised to unrealistic levels and it seems that people are expecting him to fix all of America's problems with a wave of his hand. He's not the messiah, he's just a man. I'm confident that he possesses the intelligence and drive to actually make a difference, but we nonetheless have to ground our expectations in reality.

I think too many people think Obama will be able to solve all the problems plaguing the US overnight. He won't – it will take a very long time because we in the grips of a grave recession that we won't be escaping from anytime soon.

The whole messianic thing worries me too. No one can live up to that. I just hope the new government can go some way towards solving these problems. It will probably take a while to undo eight year of bungling!

I couldn't agree with you more Paul. Despite his best intentions, Obama's policies are over-reaching and unachievable in such a time as this.

"Over-reacting and unachievable"?? Better something that aims for the sky, even if it doesn't quite get there, than the policies of an idiot with his head in the sand.

Aren’t messianic expectations/promises the issue with every leader across the world? We can’t give a single man (or woman) this much power and then not expect ourselves to get carried away with a superhuman theology. I don’t blame Americans for putting so much hope in Obama, with the world’s stage in the current state it is in, a little glimmer of hope is probably just what the Americans need right now. No, he won’t be able to change these problems overnight, but wishful thinking can’t hurt.

As Oscar Wilde one said: "We are all in the gutter, but some of us looking at at the stars." Barack Obama is one of those people. And at times like this he is exactly what we need.
Ok, nobody really knows what his policies will be and are basing their assumptions on rhetoric. But what a powerful rhetoric that has been.
Throughout history we can see the powerful influence that leaders' words have had on their subjects. By rallying the American people to work together as one to address the country's economic crisis, Obama has already succeeded in changing the hearts and minds of the US population and hopefully influencing them to make decisions in their everyday lives that will have a positive impact on the country's economy.

Julia

I agree, after the spectacular underachievement of the last eight years, Obama could only live up to half of his promise and still be a success. My worry is that the millions of new voters who swept him to power might not understand the realities of getting things done in Washington and become disillusioned. Many of them are expecting so much that they are destined to be disappointed.

You are so right, Joachim. Peole are often disappointed in life. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.