Ready for change: Students prepare for new president

As the economy continues to struggle, unemployment continues to rise and the U.S. remains engaged in two wars, expectations will run high for President-elect Barack Obama when he takes office Jan. 20.

Obama has laid out plans for everything from higher education, to energy, to health care. Perhaps on the forefront of the minds of many Americans is the economy, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 4,000 points from this time last year.

Right now, 82 to 85 percent of Americans have confidence in him, said Richard Waterman, a UK political science professor, who teaches PS 484G at UK, a course called “The American Presidency.”

“He will need it, because he is coming into office in such a terrible time,” Waterman said.

The press built Obama into a larger-than-life individual, and it will be very difficult for him to meet the expectations the mainstream media set, said Steve Robertson, chairman of the Kentucky Republican Party.

With hopes for the new administration so high, there is a very thin line between success and failure.

“People’s expectations are extremely high not because it’s a new leader, but because he is coming in desperate times,” Waterman said.

Obama may have one particular advantage coming into office, though: Americans’ fears may lead them to stand behind him.

“The advantage he has right now is that usually after a crisis, like Sept. 11, or a depression, people tend to trust the president and he is supposed to be able to get things done,” Waterman said. “But the question is, will people be patient enough to see if (his plan) works.”

UK College Democrats President Joe Gallenstein said he believes Obama can work to fix the problems Americans are facing.

“If anyone can do it, he can,” Gallenstein said. “No one expected him to win the nomination. He did. No one expected him to bring back Hillary Clinton supporters. He did.”

Although Obama’s stimulus plan may be large, Waterman believes time is a factor with the economy.

“People talk about a possibility of a two million job-loss minimum this year,” Waterman said. “Just because you pass a stimulus bill in January or February doesn’t mean people will stop losing jobs (right then).”

Communications freshman John Hanson said he is unsure if Obama can accomplish all he promised to do during his campaign.

“I think he genuinely believes (in campaign promises), but I don’t think he can actually do that,” Hanson said.

“There’s a difference between what you hope to do and what you can do.”

Some Republicans are concerned with how Obama will run Congress, which is now completely controlled by Democrats.

“When he becomes President Obama, the question is how far left will he allow Congress to run in his first term,” Robertson said. “How much will they try to appease the base versus trying to find solutions for America as a whole?”

Liberals, moderates and conservatives all have differing expectations, but many have one key expectation, Robertson said.

“Americans expect America to improve,” he said.