Now that he's spent a few weeks in the President's seat, I'd be interested to know how the American people feel about President Obama, and whether or not his presidency has already started to have a positive and tangible effect on the American spirit.
Keen-eyed Kerry-Anne spotted this pillow in a shop window just a little way from St. George's Mall in Cape Town. What are the chances of finding an Obama pillow in Cape Town? I mean, the chance that one would find a pillow with a photo of any other American president in Cape Town would be fairly slim...
Wherever you walk in Cape Town, there's a huge chance that at some or other point you'll see a statue, photo, painting, or some other work of art as a tribute to Nelson Mandela. This store might be aiming to sell this pillow to an American visitor, but I think it says something about our country's perception of the significance of President Obama's election.
PS. Oh, and President Obama, when you discover this post some day, know that I think I speak for most of Cape Town when I say that you and your family are welcome to stop over any time. :)
Dieter
Well I’m not quite American yet, but I’ll be in a year or so (still 100% South African until then), however I’m a bit annoyed with American politics. It is clear that Obama is trying to get things done, however he is definitely being slowed down by Republicans and other politicians who still buy into the old ways. So far I’m quite pleased with what he has done, and most people seem to agree that if anyone can get us (america) out of this economic hole, it will be Obama. Unfortunately it won’t be a quick fix, so I hope there is more cooperation on capital hill and Obama can get done what he needs to, to turn the economy around.
However to answer your question, I think most Americans are more focused on the bad news from the economy (with news of more and more job cuts on a daily basis), so there aren’t a lot of positive feelings in general at the moment. Most people are just hoping to hold onto their jobs for now.
max
hey!! i love your country and enjoy to visit your blog but i see that you are late for publishing picture!!! thanks for your job i travel!