What do you think will be the biggest challenge facing President-elect Obama once he takes office?

Question

America is one of the world's few superpowers, whose actions will have a lasting impact on this century. The world is watching Barack Obama -- what do you think will be the most important issue he will have to tackle once his administration begins?

Yahoo! Canada Answers Staff note: Ronald Wright is the author of What is America? Find out more here: http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/displa…

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

That's a tough question. Our country is in a bit of a mess right now. We have a war to deal with, an economic crisis to pull through and the past 8 years have put a serious strain on our foreign relations. Also, people are not particularly patient. The problems we as a country face took years to make, yet people expect them to be fixed in months. This is just not possible. I think there are a lot of unfair expectations being placed on Barack Obama right now. This may have been the case regardless of who was elected. I feel as though his main issue will be proving that although he is young and not as experienced as some past presidents he can handle the issues that arise with grace and competency. His biggest issue will be gaining the confidence and support of people who questioned him during his campaign and are expecting him to (and possibly rooting for him to) fail in his first term as president. If he can prove that he is capable to enough of the skeptics around the country and world than he will be successful.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Elsewhere, a party with the Republicans' record over the past 8 years would be in oblivion, but the closeness of the popular vote implies roughly half ignored the evidence and voted on religious & ideological beliefs. This 'Backwoods America' is unlikely to support Obama no matter how well he does.

Answer 2

Staying alive.

Answer 3

It's going to be this economic mess. Getting the unemployed off job rolls and such. That's going to be a real challenge.

Answer 4

Fixing the economy. The devastation that the Bush policies have had over eight years will take at least two terms to resolve.

Answer 5

Besides the tanking economy, 10 trillion dollar debt, credit crisis, wall street meltdown, 2 wars, nitwits in Russia, and a bunch of his own citizens that think he is a muslim, terrorist, born in another country who is going to take their guns away and force their children to engage in gay marriage.

I think things are pretty good overall.

Answer 6

his anti-war/don't-support-the-troops stance. Our troops are toast without funding... that, and his going to pull the rug out from under older Americans where their 401(k)'s etc. are concerned. That just means more work for them when trying to protect their hard worked for investments.

Answer 7

Doing what he promised - make a Change.

Answer 8

Just getting over the fact that there are millions of warmongers in his country.

Answer 9

Economic policy. People are unlikely to care about others and the impact that they have in the world or on others when they are at risk financially. Far too many people have their survival threatened by the local and global economy.

In the same way it is difficult for an inner-city gang member or a women who has lost her children due to HIV/AIDS to consider the well-being of others.

When people have their basic needs met, Obama will be able to enact his political will and mandate.

Answer 10

I think the biggest challenge Obama will have too face will be the racist radicals in the country. Being the first elected African-American president WILL be dangerous and i can almost guarantee that there is going to be a plot to assassinate the new president. I suggest that Obama take a huge interest in protecting himself for the moment, until we can change the minds of the white supremacist groups throughout America.

Answer 11

the most important issue is bringing our troops home, and take care of the mess what george bush made.Mr Obama has alot of work ahead of him and he is going to be under intensive watch and see what he is going to do to help united states to get out of the situation, and helping out the american people and stop worring about what is going on in Afghanistan, taking all that money and starting investing into united states, and start drilling oil in th usa instead of depending on foreign oil! they haven't drilled one hole since 1976, it is time to get a shovel mr obama and start digging!

Answer 12

The economy for sure.

Answer 13

Just surviving his term. There is still a lot of hate in America and there are those that see a man of colour in the White House as a sign of decline in America and a threat to the American Institution.
I hope to God I am proven wrong. If this man were to die in Office it would set America back by decades.

Answer 14

The over-whelming expectations put on him from people in his own country as well as those in other countries. I am sooo happy he was elected and really hope he can create some positive change. I worry about the hype that has been building...I mean, we had people here in Toronto last night partying while watching the election...and there are people in Africa celebrating right now too. I love the positive vibe that is created but how can one man live up to this?? It shows you that we're all so desperate for hope that we would do anything to get it. I don't know if Obama can bring the change he spoke of in his campaign but I sure am willing to put some faith in this guy....and I'm not even American....which speaks to the power that the States has in the world??!...it is also goes to show you how much doom and gloom Bush brought to so many people...I am just glad he is packing his bags right now...

Answer 15

Racism

Answer 16

Right now Mr. Obama has a lot of support from the people. But his biggest challenge is pleasing everyone. I don't believe that's why he decided to run for president becuase not everyone's going to be happy with everything he does. He needs to focus on the economy right now, I believe. If he can get the States united and stable he can worry about other things. Also he needs to keep an eye on the wars. People are watching and right now he's in the limelight.

Answer 17

Personally I feel that Mr. Obama's biggest challenge will be staying alive and avoiding assassination attempts. The history of the United States is written in the blood of past Presidents who were murdered while in office or running for office. As a Canadian I wish Mr. Obama the best of luck and for the sake of the free world I hope he survives his presidential term and gets the United States back on track and recovered from the recession and the overseas Problems in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I served with US Armed Forces in Vietnam and have finally realized that the United States have never been the same since that conflict. I sincerely hope your new President can renew the vitality of the United States of America.

Answer 18

I think he will have many. Changing the right wing extreme views and bigotry and attitudes of self-entitlement that some people have will be the hardest within America.

It will take time to fix the economy and set up legislation and forge forward and accomplish the goals he has proposed. Some things will be achieved quicker than others but being able to count on the American people to work with him will likely be the quickest and best thing that Americans have going, being able to help one another and be the changes they want to see.

Iraq and all that would be a problem for anyone to resolve, but I believe Obama will find a solution, and he is more likely to find a diplomatic one and be received better than McCain would have been IMHO.

I hope that the racist attitudes people have will start to fade away and that people realize we are all human beings created equal in this world. Until people respect one another in that way you will always have internal conflicts which only hinder progress.

So Iraq will definitely be one major, visible issue, and the economy the other. This will take time to fix because as Obama said, many things have to happen (new business for American workers, new energy sources, healthcare, education) and these won't happen overnight and quite possibly take two terms of presidency to really see the progress and benefit.

But one thing I'm sure of is that you have the right man at the helm to do it.

So enough with the racial stuff and talk of assassinations and murders...that is a horrible thing to even think never mind perpetrate....stop it and get over it and work with your new President to make your country all that it should be.

You know Americans should feel PROUD that the world is celebrating this victory as if it were their own.

You have a great leader with potential to change not only America for the better but the world too. I think the rest of the world is hoping that he finds a way to unify not only America, but ALL OF us, as a global family. Perhaps that is a lot to put on one man's shoulders, but people are worried about the direction our world is heading and here is someone who has a very special quality who just might be able to lead us all in the direction we all want and need to go, so that our children have a future on this planet too.

Sad would be the day you went back to what you had yesterday!!

Answer 19

getting rid of the greedy people in America,The economy like duh! ""give people money they ll spend it, give them a job they,ll appreciate it." That's the bottom line an opportunity for eternal growth!

Answer 20

He is going to have to do a good job otherwise there is going to be far more racism and discimination which will turn out in a horrible mess. Because he made history he is under pressure to make a good name for african-americans and if he fails there will be chaos

Answer 21

Being Black and Stay Alive.

Best of Luck to MR. OBAMA.

I personally liked his win over mccain, but cant say about other people.

Answer 22

In my opinion there are a lot of issues that need to be taken care of at home and abroad. First, the economy, obviously we know how bad the U.S economy has got but looking at the bigger picture the world's economy is in turmoil as well. President-elect Obama must re-establish confidence in the consumers worldwide. At this point in time the world has become globalized and any problems that arise within a superpower or any nation that has power around the world will effect all nations respectively. Obama and his cabinet and the U.S Congress must work together to get the WORLD back on track.
Obama is not only the leader of the United States but he has set himself up as a diplomat for all nations. When he was elected on November 4th, 2008, the whole world was watching. When he was elected it brought back hope to so many millions of Americans and millions around the world. When he was elected on that night the whole world stood still not because there was a terrorist attack, not because there were rifts between parties and not because the world saw a nation divided it is because there was a change that so many millions of people all around this great world that we all call home were hoping for and we achieved it not as a nation but as inhabitants of this great world that we all call earth.
When there were doubts about the credibility of America, when there were doubts about if America would survive, we as a people stood up as one and said we will not go silently into the night without our voices being heard. We were heard! And when we were heard the whole world listened.
At a time when we all were younger and had dreams and goals that we wanted to accomplish but didn't know if we could because of our gender, our race, our sexual orientation, President-Elect Obama changed all of that. As an African American in the United States he probably had the same dreams. He probably sat on his Grandmother's lap as a child and asked her, Do you think I could be President one day? She probably smiled at her grandson who has the brightest smile you will ever see, knowing full well that in his lifetime that there probably wouldn't be an African-American president, looked at him and said, Barack, you can be whatever you want to be as long as you work hard, be kind to all those around you, and treat everyone as equals. This advice stuck with him just like how everything his grandmother said to him stuck with him and made him the man he is today, The President of the Greatest Country in the WORLD.
This has been a historic past couple of years with the war, the economy in shambles, the rising costs in food and energy, the highest disapproval of any President that has ever taken the Presidential oath. As a nation, we are one and we needed change and change is exactly what we got. As Obama said in his victory speech, change has not occurred just yet but now we have the Chance to change, to move towards a different direction, to stand together as one and pick up anyone who has lost faith and bring them towards this change. As a world, as a nation, as the people, Yes We Can and Yes We Will!

Answer 23

I think he has to tackle the issues that Bush handed over to Obama, but I think he has to eliminate the racist element in America first.

Answer 24

The biggest challenge will be fulfilling the campaign promises. It is the norm that the promises are not fulfilled, but this campaign and what is at stake is the most dramatic in recent history. The time has come for us all to unite and support the movement in any way possible. My candidate lost, but my country will go on. Lets help out.

Answer 25

I think that the very people who elected him may have unrealistic expectations of what Barack Obama will be able to accomplish during his tem as president..I'm sure that the declining global economy will be one of his biggest issues I think that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will also be issues..I'm hoping that people are not expecting a quick fix for any of the issues and that his fellow countrymen and the world will give him a fair opportunity to bring about change.People forget that sometimes success is measured in baby steps.

Answer 26

not getting assassinatied

Answer 27

Living up to all the crap he said he will do

Answer 28

Dodging the assassination attempts by crazy white people with mental problems.

Someone said to me, 'I'll bet that Obama will have more assassination attempts than any other U.S. president in history." I hope its not true.

Good luck Obama!

Answer 29

i think dealing with all the prejudice and hate from all those ignorant people that see him as incapable of being a good president merely for the color of his skin (which has nothing to do with his intellect)

Answer 30

living up to the expectations

Answer 31

Americans believe he will tax those earning more than $200K to death, when a straight-across the board 10% for everyone would be perfect. Americans believe he will give, and give, and give to those who are not deserving - One of the biggest jokes flying around the internet showed trick-or-treaters coming to the door and the man of the house taking away the candy they had already collected. One little kid says "what are you doing?" The man says "I'm taking the candy you have earned by going door-to-door and giving it to the little kids who are too fat and lazy to go out and collect for themselves." That's pretty much the way we see Obama. He will have to work overtime to gain the trust of those who did not vote for him. They say this is not a racial election - get your head out of the sand. He won with the black and latino votes. I am feeling that the United States of America is divided more right now than at any time since the Civil War.