Lecture and Discussion

“A Day after. What to Expect from the New American President”

The United States have voted. After the exciting election campaign, it became clear that evening that Barack Obama would stand at the helm of the world super power USA as the new U.S. president for the next four years. Obama stands for change. But how will this change look concretely? What is the agenda he will bring to the White House as president? And how will he and his cabinet deal with the formidable interior and exterior political challenges? The enormous budget deficit, the international financial crisis, the ailing American infrastructure and the lack of a health system as well as the war in Iraq are heavy burdens the new president will take into his term.

John Hulsman, the renowned political expert with firsthand knowledge of the political scene in the USA,  presented his analysis of these questions and provided a first outlook on America under the new leadership.

John C. Hulsman is Alfred-von-Oppenheim-Scholar of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik in Berlin. Due to his close contacts in the American political scene he is in a rare position to be able to comment on events in the USA with authority.

Moderation: Michael Knigge, Director of the German Online Service, Deutsche Welle