Cairo, Egypt
“Obama will found a new United States”, “Obama on America’s throne”, “Obama’s historical victory.” These are a few of the headlines with which the Egyptian press saluted the election of the 44th president of the United States of America, 47-year-old Barack Hussein Obama, on November 4th. Just like European and Asian newspapers, the media in Cairo welcomed this event with enthusiasm, emphasising its historical importance. At times the media also exploited the democratic element as a litmus test for the shortcomings of the local political system. “The first black President in the White House and the fifth American President since Mubarak came to power” denounced the independent daily newspaper Al Dustour (The Constitution) with clear pragmatism. As if to say, while the Arab Republic of Egypt is on route to becoming a monarchy – with President Hosni Mubarak as the totalitarian sovereign since 1981 and his younger son Gamal ready to succeed him when the presidential elections are held in 2011 – the United States continues to astonish with its ability to turn over a new leaf.
Equally there are those who do not hide their doubts and at times their scepticism. “Will Obama be with us or against us?” wrote the periodical Rose El Youssef, expressing shared fears and the expectations of ordinary people. The Hamlet-like doubt expressed by Arab commentators in these early hours is to understand whether this was really a pro-Obama vote – and therefore expressing adherence to his programme – or was this a vote against Bush. This, as well as other issues, animate discussions in newspapers, on TV and on the Internet. The election of Obama has monopolised TV programming, with in-depth journalistic analysis and predictions – at times expressing their hopes – about Washington’s future foreign policy agenda. The watchword is “do not observe the negative events of the past” commented Nabil Fahmi, former Egyptian Ambassador to the United States and a guest of the programme “Behind the events.” The guests of the programme “Good morning Egypt” instead invited Arab public opinion to be “pragmatic” and not to expect “spectacular changes.”
But Obama has the colour of his skin on his side, and therefore, perhaps, a greater sensitivity as far as the problems of the African continent are concerned, and a religious DNA that is partly Islamic and emphasised by his name. The government’s daily newspaper Al Gomhurria (The Republic) sees him as Martin Luther King’s political heir, but suspends all judgement until the new president has to address the peace process in the Middle East. Authors of online diaries, bloggers, have not hesitated to label Obama a symbol. A symbol of renewal, a cultural melting-pot – thanks to his unique family history – and also the Americans’ capacity for self-criticism. “I respect the American people because they have the guts to acknowledge the mistakes of the past 8 years and that it is now time to rectify these mistakes” writes the blogger Mohaly.
In the meantime, the unequivocal verdict from the American polls enlivens the debates of the average citizen, as does Obama’s first speech, broadcast when it was just after five in the morning in Europe and North Africa. “I am not American, I live here in Egypt, and yet I hear him speak of rights and equality in front of that crowd”, says Iman, a teacher of Arabic in a school for foreigners, “he thrilled me.” “God willing, peace will come to the Middle East,” says Sadeya, the owner of a laundry in the Egyptian capital, as she raises her eyes to the sky. “Obama has won” chants the newspaper seller Ali, as he hands the newly arrived editions to his early morning clients. Even the question “Entu amricaniin?”, Are you Americans?, in recent years asked with suspicion and anger, has at last lost its deadly burden and reacquired more neutral, if not rosy nuances. Since last Tuesday, being an American is no longer a handicap in the Middle East.
Translation by Francesca Simmons