"What makes him so...?"

Sitting in my office hours, I was expecting students to ask questions about their persuasive essay due next week. When Fatima (featured in the middle, wearing a purple jacket) walked in her first question was:

"So Mr. Obama, what makes him so.....charismatic?"

I was rather shocked. My sophomores have a midterm 4-page persuasive paper due soon, but it was the day the election results were announced and word had spread that I ended class early to see Obama's acceptance speech.

"I decided I want to know why Americans find this man fascinating so I have printed two of his speeches. I will memorize them. Do you think it will help my English too?"

I think this summarizes the Chinese response to Obama's election: fascination in a distancing way. My students were and are interested, but I don't think they feel President Obama will greatly impact their lives or even China's policies.

That said, the headline of today's China Daily, the English language Communist party newspaper, read Change has come, with a three-fourths page close-up of Barack grinning. Below the story on Obama's election--which focused on this representing America's final departure from rascism and then moved quickly to the perpetual economic woes--was a blurb on President Hu Jintao congratulating Mr. Obama.

"China and the United States share broad common interests and important responsibilities on a wide range of major issues concerning the well-being of humanity," Hu said. (The first part said a lot, but everything pas interests is standard Chinese non-speak--like he needs an editor to eliminate the speech where he says nothing.)

Here's a China Daily article on the world response. Interestingly, Obama Japan celebrated with Obama Hope emblem rice cakes. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2008-11/06/content_7178141.htm