Cultural and political image

Cultural and political image

President George W. Bush invited then-President-elect Barack Obama and former Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter to a meeting in the Oval Office on January 7, 2009.Main article: Public image of Barack Obama
Obama's family history, early life and upbringing, and Ivy League education differ markedly from those of African-American politicians who launched their careers in the 1960s through participation in the civil rights movement.[215] Expressing puzzlement over questions about whether he is "black enough", Obama told an August 2007 meeting of the National Association of Black Journalists that "we're still locked in this notion that if you appeal to white folks then there must be something wrong."[216] Obama acknowledged his youthful image in an October 2007 campaign speech, saying: "I wouldn't be here if, time and again, the torch had not been passed to a new generation."[217]



Obama presents his first weekly address as President of the United States, discussing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.Obama is frequently referred to as an exceptional orator.[218] During his pre-inauguration transition period and continuing into his presidency, Obama has delivered a series of weekly Internet video addresses[219] similar to Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous fireside chats to explain his policies and actions.[220]

According to the Gallup Daily Poll, during his first 100 days in office as president, Obama received approval ratings ranging from 59% to 69%.[221] From late August through November 2009, his approval rating was around 53%[222], dropping below 50% for the first time on the Nov. 17-19 Gallup daily results.[223][224][225]

Obama's international appeal has been described as a defining factor for his public image.[226] Polls show strong support for Obama in other countries,[227] and he has met with prominent foreign figures including then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair,[228] Italy's Democratic Party leader and then Mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni,[229] and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.[230]

According to a May 2009 poll conducted by Harris Interactive for France 24 and the International Herald Tribune, Obama was rated as the most popular world leader, as well as the one figure most people would pin their hopes on for pulling the world out of this economic downturn.[231]

Obama won Best Spoken Word Album Grammy Awards for abridged audiobook versions of Dreams from My Father in February 2006 and for The Audacity of Hope in February 2008.[232] His "Yes We Can" speech, which artists independently set to music, was viewed by 10 million people on YouTube in the first month,[233] and received a Daytime Emmy Award.[234] In December 2008, Time magazine named Barack Obama as its Person of the Year for his historic candidacy and election, which it described as "the steady march of seemingly impossible accomplishments".[235]