Divided States of America gives Obama second chance
Ultimately Mr. Obama’s victory came down to a solid “ground-game” lead over Mr. Romney in battleground States, which Team Obama likely consolidated over the summer by focusing on voter mobilisation efforts in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Colorado, Virginia, New Hampshire and Iowa.
The President also scored strongly with his support base comprising women, youth and non-white voters, reports indicated. He defied historical precedent to be re-elected with the highest unemployment rate, 7.9 per cent, “of any President returned to office since Franklin Roosevelt in 1936, and became only the second Democrat since Roosevelt to win another term,” it was noted.
Bera wins, other Indian-Americans lose
Dr. Ami Bera was on the cusp of creating history by becoming only the third Indian-American ever to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, as five others from the community bit the dust in the polls.
Mr. Bera (45) had a lead of just 184 votes against his Republican rival and incumbent Dan Lungren, when all the votes were counted for the Seventh Congressional District in California.
So far only two Indian-Americans have been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Dalip Singh Saund was the first Indian-American elected to the U.S. Congress in the 1950s, while Bobby Jindal was a House member from 2005 to 2008 before being elected as the Governor of Louisiana.
First openly gay Senator
Tammy Baldwin on Wednesday became the first openly gay Senator in the U.S. history when she defeated former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson.
Though 50-year-old Democrat made history, her sexual orientation was largely a non-issue in the race, The Huffington Post reported.
Re-election upsets many in Israel
Abiding by political correctness, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has congratulated President Barack Obama on his re-election but there is apprehension in Tel Aviv that the next four years with the second Obama administration may not offer a smooth ride.
While he has avoided taking sides in public during the U.S. presidential campaign, it is well known that the Israeli Prime Minister and Mitt Romney, are old friends. In an article in April, The New York Timesreported that the two have known each other since 1976, when they became colleagues as corporate advisers in Boston Consulting, a U.S. business consulting firm. The Democratic Party criticised Mr. Netanyahu for allegedly intervening and siding with Mr. Romney during the presidential campaign.
Mr. Netanyahu had a difficult relationship with Mr. Obama during his first term. Mr. Obama refused to be pushed by Israel on taking action against Iran, and the White House was miffed by Israeli policy on settlements in the occupied West Bank. In September the President declined to meet Mr. Netanyahu during his visit to New York for the U.N. General Assembly session.
Unsurprisingly, Mr. Netanyahu chose to deliver a terse message of congratulations to Mr. Obama after his re-election. He said the “strategic alliance between Israel and United States is stronger than ever”, and pledged to “continue working with President Obama in order to safeguard the interests crucial for the security of Israel’s citizens”.
Some members of Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud Party were explicit in airing their misgivings about dealing with Mr. Obama.
Israel’s Ynetnews quoted a Likud lawmaker: “Obama is not good for Israel and we’re concerned that he will try to pressure Israel into making concessions because of his chilly relationship with Netanyahu.”
Two-state solution
The Palestinian Authority (PA), which has found little common ground with the Netanyahu administration, was quick to remind Mr. Obama that he should act against Israeli settlement activities and other violations that have targeted the Palestinian people. Top negotiator of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Saeb Erekat hoped Mr. Obama would focus on “democracy, peace and stability in the region in his second term and implement a two-state solution with Israel”.
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