U.S. presidential inauguration

Strong Obama brand obscuring unrealistic expectations -- profs

Canadian-American relations at “all time low”

The 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama. Photo from his official website.

Canadians are excited about Obama and his inauguration. Turn on the news and it’s likely to be the top story or a series of stories about the inauguration.

The support for Obama has crossed the border and “Canadians are excited about the Barack era, because it’s the end of the Bush,” says Leonard Preyra, former political science chair at Saint Mary’s University and now MLA for Halifax Citadel.

But it’s not just the end of Bush, says Mount Saint Vincent University professor Reginald C. Stuart, “it’s Mr. Obama himself, his character and personality.”

Canadians aren’t the only people excited about Obama either, just “look at the support in Britain and Europe and Germany,” says assistant professor Donald Naulls of Saint Mary’s political science department.

Facebook groups and websites have sprung up declaring Canadian support for Obama. Seeing “Canadians invested and interested” when Obama won, “was the first time in my career I’ve ever seen this type of reaction,” says Preyra.

Branding vs. reality

Obama campaigned on “change you can believe in” and was “marketing himself all the way through with slogans,” says Stuart. But to others it seemed to go further than marketing, to the establishment of a brand.

Once you establish a brand, it “has great durability as opposed to a marketing campaign,” says Naulls. “There’s no doubt since JFK ... that marketing candidates, marketing democracy has grown,” Naulls adds.

Marketing, branding and slogans of change are one thing, but what about delivering on his promises? Almost everyone agrees that Obama will not be able to deliver.

It is “virtually impossible for him to deliver,” says Preyra.

“He won’t be able to deliver,” says Stuart.

The two point to the economy and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Naulls feels that “presidents get tripped up by very small things.”

The hype and popular support that Obama enjoys is tied to his ability to handle the problems. “Historically there isn’t a good track record there for presidents to be able to keep the buzz, the hype around themselves,” says Naulls.

“But if he keeps the people with him, the public will understand the president can only do so much,” says Stuart.

One of the ways Obama has been able to keep the public with him is by being upfront and honest about the hard times ahead with the economy.

Canada “not on Obama’s radar”

The relationship between Canada and America is long and complex. America is Canada’s biggest trading partner and we have been allies in war, but “we have reached an all time low in terms of Canadian-American relations,” says Naulls.

Bush showed little interest in Canada and during Obama’s campaign there was no mention of relations with Canada.

“If he’s not interested, nothing’s going to happen,” says Naulls.

Naulls feels that it will be on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to establish the importance of relations between the countries “because right now I don’t think we are on (Obama’s) radar.”

Obama announced that his first trip as president would be to Canada. Which is “very important recognition to Canada … statement that Canada matters,” says Preyra.

“We live in an age of personalities,” says Stuart. And Obama’s campaign was “more of movement,” says Stuart. Obama’s ability to include people and to look ahead has inspired people.

There is also a “real interweaving of people” because America is “right next door,” says Stuart. Canada gets popular culture from Hollywood and is inundated with Americana from television to music.

Civic participation is down in Canada, partly due to the fact that we have political leaders right now that are “empty suits,” says Naulls. Or what Stuart calls the “grey characters.”  The U.S media don't talk a lot about charisma, but here in Canada we do and “I think the last one to have charisma was Trudeau,” say Naulls.

”When we see this type of leadership in which there is charisma…(it) is able to inspire people to engage in the campaign,” says Naulls.

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