CAIRO: A seven-hour time difference did not stop Egyptians from closely following the voting process in the United States that went on until 6 am Cairo local time, as they watched America’s first black president-elect Barack Obama make history with a landslide win that elicited different reactions among Egyptian college students.
“They all adopt the same strategies but the difference is in the characters, said Riham Ibrahim, journalism student at Cairo University. “For example, when John Kennedy was the president, President Gamal Abd El Nasser was able to deal with the United States but when Lyndon Johnson became the president our relation with the US deteriorated.
“We should not be very hopeful; whoever is the president we must be able to deal with him to serve our interests, she added.
Her fellow student Karim El Damanhoury says the difference is in the strategy. “Take Israel’s security for example, one president may see that it can be achieved by peace while another can achieve it through military power.
“We have always had good relationships with the US and let’s hope that it gets better because we need them in areas like financial support.
Yasser Mahmoud, a student at the faculty of economics and political science, said that “being the first African-American president, Obama will be more sympathetic with us and I am sure he will not commit Bush’s mistakes. However he will follow the same American policies.
Twenty-year-old student Noha Hanafy, told Daily News Egypt, “Obama was the only candidate who convinced me as a leader of the most powerful nation in the world.
Hanafy added that she was fed up with the Republican agenda. “We don’t need another version of Bush with the same notions and beliefs and Sarah Palin is definitely not a good candidate for vice president, she added.
Concerning the US foreign policy, Hanafy said, “I believe that Obama might actually have some good intentions for the region but still, after eight years of George W. Bush, I tend to be a bit cautious with American politics, even if the elected president is as promising as Obama.
“I know for a fact that the Israeli-Palestinian issue won’t be solved that easily, he has to suck up to the Jews in the US as they’re a powerful minority, and he will do so by supporting Israel.
Still, “hopefully the conditions of the Arabs and Muslims will witness a change in his era.
Dina Habila, another Ain-Shams University student, told Daily News Egypt, “I think he is better than Bush but not as good as Clinton. Obama has many challenges to overcome and in trying to overcome them he’ll make many mistakes.
About the US policy in the Middle East, “I don’t think he’ll make many changes. Dina added.
As for Wafia Khaled, a student at the private MSA university, said that “the only thing that the Middle East will gain from Obama being elected president is the ending of the war in Iraq, but he is not going to change US foreign policy.
Twenty-year-old student Reem Abdo said Obama is “a very ambitious person, so he will definitely make some changes in the world. We still don’t know how, but what I know for sure is that he is totally different from George Bush.
Sherin ElSobky, a Cairo University student said that Obama will improve the US image around the world, “even if he didn’t make a drastic transformation, he will definitely make some good changes.
ElSobky added that Obama will fix the troubled US economy, which will help end the global financial meltdown.
Mohamed Ahmed, a student at the faculty of sciences, said “I like Obama because he is charismatic and he offered change, while McCain was going to be like Bush.
Mohamed Rabie, a law student, slightly disagrees. “McCain was better for us because had he won and become president, he would have destroyed America like what Bush did.
Professor Amal Gaber, who teaches radio and TV at Cairo University, said “I am happy and optimistic that Obama won although no radical change would occur. But it is a huge change to see an African-American become the president of the US, which may indicate a change in the whole world.
“Obama’s success gives hope that change is possible.
“As media specialists, this election was a landmark because it used all the technology available, like the internet, to reach people and create this enthusiasm. She said “visual manipulation was also used to promote certain ideas, such as a “picture of Obama holding the hand of a white girl.
But not everyone was following the elections. “I didn’t follow the elections because I only care about Egypt and I don’t care what happens outside, said a student of the Faculty of Commerce, who didn’t want to mention his name.
