President-elect Barack Obama faces high hopes and expectations as the newly elected President of the United States, and with both a Democratic president in the White House for the first time since former President Clinton in 2001, as well as a Democratic majority in the House and the Senate, there is also a great deal of speculation about the future of the United States government and Obama’s party.
Both Obama and the Democratic Party as a whole experienced widespread support throughout the campaign and now face high expectations as the party enters the White House and the walls of Congress.
“Obama has been portrayed as this transformational figure” throughout the campaign, said Dan Keyserling, Center for Politics deputy director of communications and former Cavalier Daily executive editor. Obama faces a “very, very tough standard to meet,” Keyserling said, and one of Obama’s “first jobs is to manage these expectations.”
The hopes are “both a great opportunity and a tough situation to live up to,” University Democrats President Sarah Buckley said.
Democrats in both the House and the Senate also face high expectations after increasing the margins of their majorities Tuesday.
“I think people will be surprised about how gradual and moderate” changes made by the Democratic Party will be, Keyserling said. The Democrats are “aware that they have a moment of power,” Keyserling added, but also realize that to initiate “every left wing proposal out there would be unwise politically.”
In addition to managing expectations and balancing agendas with moderation, Obama is expected to pursue several initiatives once he enters the White House in January, including the “three major initiatives” — health care with a focus on child health care, a “revisited strategy for the war in Iraq” that might include timetables and a comprehensive alternative energy policy, Keyserling said.
In addition, “the first thing that the president will be thinking about even before he takes the oath of office will be the economic crisis,” Buckley said.
Many believe that with a Democratic president and a Democratic majority in the Congress, new legislation proposed by the president will pass through Congress more efficiently. Gerry Scimeca, Republican Party of Virginia communications director, said he hopes both the Republicans and the Democrats will remain cooperative, as both parties’ goal is to see the president and the country as a whole succeed.
“We will see significant progress because of the support he will have in the House and Senate,” Buckley said, and Obama will “have a unified front and idea of what we need to do to get America on track.”
In addition to the expectations of the general public being met, it is also important to recognize the influence of America’s youth in this election, Buckley noted. With the large number of youth voters that helped lead Obama and the Democrats to success, “we are hoping to see that our priorities become the nation’s priorities and we are respected as a voting block,” she added.
“Many of [students’] policy priorities fall in line” with the rest of the general public, though, Buckley noted, including getting the economy and debt of the United States back under control. “We want to get the economy back on track so when we graduate we have jobs and can afford our student loans,” Buckley said.
Alternative energy and the environment also are of great importance to the current student generation and will continue to be so after students graduate, Buckley said.
Some students also expect broader policy shifts between the current administration and the upcoming one. Third-year Commerce student Scott Rosen, who said he voted for Obama, said he expects changes to international diplomacy, with the new administration becoming more willing to negotiate with other nations. Though Rosen expressed confidence in the party he voted for, he also admitted that the “economy is going to be tough for a year,” despite changes in policy.
Similarly, second-year College student Elizabeth Willis, who also voted Democrat, said the main problem facing the country today is the financial crisis, noting that she hopes Obama and a Democratic-controlled Congress will be able to help solve the current economic woes of the nation.
The new administration should also be able to pass a number of initiatives not agreed to and vetoed by the current administration, said Kimberly Hunter, spokesperson for Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va. These initiatives will now be more readily agreed upon and “you’ll see items able to move forward more expeditiously,” she said.
With the election of Democrat Mark Warner to the Virginia Senate, Hunter added, “I know that the senator and senator-elect have had conversations about committees to consider and have a strong working relationship,” but “as far as collaborating we’re not there yet.”
Scimeca noted that bipartisan efforts will be key to Obama’s and the country’s success during the next four years.
“If Obama governs the way he campaigned, as someone who’ll reach across the aisle, it’ll be good for everyone,” Scimeca said.
Keyserling added that White House staff will be important as well, noting that the role of the “Chief of Staff cannot be understated.”
Rham Emmanuel, who recently accepted the Chief of Staff position and was a part of the Clinton administration as well, will play a important role in the upcoming years, Keyserling said. Nancy Pelosi, current Speaker of the House, is also expected to have a crucial role as well in the upcoming administration.
“Pelosi will be one of the most powerful figures in the world,” Keyserling said. By the time Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States in January, Pelosi will head “an overwhelming Democratic majority [and] will be in control of the purse-strings of the American government,” Keyserling said.
Exactly how the Democrats will use their newfound power remains to be seen, though.
“The Democrats have earned the right to lead,” Scimeca said. “It is now up to the Democrats to lead.”
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