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The US has a new president and it’s part of democracy to wish a new leader good luck and enthusiasm to do a great job – espescially in these difficult times. Let’s hope Obama will deliver what he promised.

These days catch phrases like “yes, we can” or “hope” of Obamas 08 campaign seem to let so-called liberal Europeans forget about what it’s all about. Why bother with critical distance and evaluating what would be the best next US president from a European point of view – when the world can be that easy: the good guy = Obama vs the bad guy = Bush/McCain. Most of all those “yes, we can” singing german students cheering their new pop star Obama just ignore the fact that John McCain differs from Mr Bush as Mr Obama differs from Bill Clinton. The real question – which choice would be the best for the US and Europe in particular or if Obama could deliver, as the Economist asked some weeks ago – seems not to interest anybody.

I just don’t see what makes all these people so sure that Obama could deliver. Who would handle a new wave of terror best, who will strengthen the US economy again, who will stabilize the US dollar – all these questions are essential for the prosperity of Europe in the next years – but besides “hope” and “yes, we can” I have not heard many answers to the cheering masses from Mr. Obama. I don’t say he can’t but there is still a lot of work to the deliver clear answers why Mr Obama would be the better choice.