Japan loves Obama

[Estranged]

It turns out many people in Japan are inspired in a somewhat surprising way.

In high school English classes in Tokyo they have this program where they play his speeches through a computer, as they also write stuff down in this Obama book or something. Their textbook is an obama book and CD set featuring his speeches. They mimick his speaking style and take grammar quizes on all of it.

The book isn't just a hit in high school either, it's a best seller all across Japan. The book has sold so well that they followed it up with a sequal, feating his his innaugral address. The first book is #1 on Japan's version of Amazon and the sequal is #2 based on book reservations alone.

The publisher of the books said that many people were moved by the books and even cried, giving the japenese people hope.

[TheShinje]

The whole world loves Obama. The mantra of change has spread beyond the amber waves of grain and over the shining seas, and there will be a few disappointed people because of it. At the end of the day Barack Obama is not our president and I doubt life is going to be very different for those of us who do not live in the land of the red, white and blue.

You've got to wonder how long the affair will last once it sinks in.

[Drizzt Do'urden]

Though I've been torn on President Obama since the get go, one thing you can't argue is his message. His message has instilled hope in millions of people, as you've stated, around the world.

I do have to say though I think once everything gets underway, and people realize that there isn't this instantaneous change, he'll be looked down for it.

But I do wish him the best, and I hope, eventually, everything he's promised comes to fruition...otherwise he'll have some issues.

[Aaryanna]

[COLOR="DarkGreen"][FONT="Tahoma"][quote name='Drizzt Do'urden']I do have to say though I think once everything gets underway, and people realize that there isn't this instantaneous change, he'll be looked down for it.[/quote]I'll be looking down on those who were dumb enough to think a new president actually meant instantaneous change. I couldn't vote this time around since I'm too young, but even I know that change doesn't happen like that.

So long as he makes a genuine effort and does his best, I'll be happy. Things, as I understand it, are a mess so it's not going to magically go away. The thing that makes me sad is all the people I know just waiting for him to fail instead of trying to help fix things.

Honestly, he's the president now, I think they could better spend their time trying to help instead of hoping he'll fail. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[Raiha]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]I don't personally hope he'll fail, but on the other hand I think people misunderstand the ones [like me] who don't embrace everything Obama wants to do. Sure I support our president because I know that it's bad form to undermine the commander in chief, but I have no idea why everyone is so massively enormously in love with him.

He hasn't DONE anything yet. He's gotten himself elected, but let's face it. Blagojevich [wow I spelled that right the first time] and Nixon got themselves elected too. Sure I disagree with like 98% of his policies, but I'd like to be able to stand behind the choices he makes. Granted thus far I've been wildly disappointed. That 'stimulus' package is a nice recipe for amazing amounts of debt.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Estranged]

[quote name='Drizzt Do'urden']Though I've been torn on President Obama since the get go, one thing you can't argue is his message. His message has instilled hope in millions of people, as you've stated, around the world.

I do have to say though I think once everything gets underway, and people realize that there isn't this instantaneous change, he'll be looked down for it.

But I do wish him the best, and I hope, eventually, everything he's promised comes to fruition...otherwise he'll have some issues.[/QUOTE]


The only people that say things would change right away is his biggest detractors. Every single person that i know who voted for him knew that things would not change right away. People like Rush Limbaugh and what not however made up lies saying they thought he would, though.

[Raiha]

[quote name='Estranged']The only people that say things would change right away is his biggest detractors. Every single person that i know who voted for him knew that things would not change right away. People like Rush Limbaugh and what not however made up lies saying they thought he would, though.[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Hold your horses dear.

Rush Limbaugh did not make up lies saying he would make changes right away. Unless you have a direct quote that you can show us from a reliable source, such as the transcripts of his show, you have no right to claim such a thing. And also, Rush is being quoted entirely out of context. He doesn't want Obama to succeed because, like me, we believe that it would mean principles and ideas that we don't believe in have succeeded. So before you jump on the 'let's take everyone that disagrees with Obama out of context' bandwagon, be careful.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Hold your horses dear.

Rush Limbaugh did not make up lies saying he would make changes right away. Unless you have a direct quote that you can show us from a reliable source, such as the transcripts of his show, you have no right to claim such a thing. And also, Rush is being quoted entirely out of context. He doesn't want Obama to succeed because, like me, we believe that it would mean principles and ideas that we don't believe in have succeeded. So before you jump on the 'let's take everyone that disagrees with Obama out of context' bandwagon, be careful.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[B][SIZE="7"][COLOR="Magenta"][FONT="fiolex girls"]I[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/B][color=#9933ff][font=monotype corsiva][size=4]can sum up my thoughts on Rush Limbaugh in one nice three syllable word: [B]hypocrite.[/B]

That said, any normal person who voted for Obama knows that change won't come about in even the first one hundred days after the inaguration. Sadly most of the bi-partisan honeymoon has worn off already and it's only been a week. The Republican Minority is already telling everyone not to pass this stimulus package. Okay I just say go back to the drawing board and maybe take the money from those Wall Street jackasses we bailed out. We can allow them to live on about sixty thousand a year and see how they like it. And even if they don't tough cookies.

Okay now, back to the original topic. I heard about this on CNN this afternoon. I think it's another interesting way to learn a new language. And it's definately a plus for the US foreign relations.[/color][/font][/size]

[Rachmaninoff]

I see all of this as media hype and people showing off more than an indication that they honestly believe change would happen that quickly. Mind you I'm going from my own stance and my friends who voted for the guy. Not one of us thought that the moment he got into office, things would suddenly get better.

I fully expect things to take time because they always do. And like it's been said, so long as he genuinely works hard I don't have a problem with it. As for being looked down on, what president isn't by at least some part of the population? I've still got republican friends carrying on as if the world is coming to an end. So yeah.

[James]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah, the Obamessiah phenomenon is certainly not exclusive to the United States. Almost the whole world has gone all gooey and puppy dog-eyed.

I like Barack Obama and I think he will likely be a sensible President. But... he's just a man and his message, while positive, is absolutely not innovative.

To me, substance matters most. So I guess we will see how things pan out. In the meantime, he does need the best chance he can have to pursue his policies.[/font]

[Rachmaninoff]

[quote name='James][font=franklin gothic medium']Yeah, the Obamessiah phenomenon is certainly not exclusive to the United States. Almost the whole world has gone all gooey and puppy dog-eyed.[/font][/quote]So I've noticed. And honestly, it has me looking at other countries and going... wtf? I suppose the one good thing is perhaps it will give him a little more time before the [I]honeymoon[/I] as they put it is over. I just hope he makes good use of that time. =P

[Hinata]

[quote name='James'][font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah, the Obamessiah phenomenon is certainly not exclusive to the United States. Almost the whole world has gone all gooey and puppy dog-eyed.
[/font][/QUOTE]

Well at least some of the people in other countries have sold his merchandise and given themselves their own stimulus package off of selling shirts for about five to ten times the amount that the person bought them for.

If only I had been smart enough and gone to do the same in a few Caribbean countries. I think I'd have a decent down-payment for a house that's about to be auctioned right about now.

[SunfallE]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='James][font=franklin gothic medium']Yeah, the Obamessiah phenomenon is certainly not exclusive to the United States. Almost the whole world has gone all gooey and puppy dog-eyed.[/font][/quote]I'm with Rach on this when I see other places doing that... Seriously... wtf? I mean I'm pleased and all since I voted for him, but still, he's just a guy like anyone else. o_O I won't deny that I'm happy that it's seems to be giving the US a better image to other countries. However I want that to be from things he's [I]done[/I], not over a OMG HE GOT ELECTED mentality. That kind of thing makes me nervous since regardless of who's elected, I think it's important to wait and see how they do first, whether I voted for them or not. [/FONT][/COLOR]