International Herald Tribune, France

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After 'Giving Us a Scare' - Obama Wins Again (Liberation, France)

"Americans preferred to maintain the same imperfect balance and even uncertain plans of the incumbent president over the economic voodoo of his riskier Republican opponent. And rightly so. Obama patched up the most serious damage committed by his Republican predecessor. He averted the collapse of his country's economy, he has recast its health care system and saved its auto industry. And all the while improving relations with the rest of the civilized world."

By François Sergent

Translated By Pierre Guittard

November 7, 2012

France – Liberation – Original Article (French)

He gave us a scare. But Obama has succeeded where Nicolas Sarkozy [France], Silvio Berlusconi [Italy], Luis Zapatero [Spain] and Gordon Brown [U.K.] failed. But re-election in the midst of a major economic crisis means the United States is still not out of the woods. Unemployment during his tenure remains stuck at 8 percent, public debt has exploded, and the average incomes of Americans have been badly constrained. The American dream, so essential to the ethos of the nation, has became a chimera for a majority of voters.

Americans, nevertheless, preferred to maintain the same imperfect balance and even uncertain plans of the incumbent president over the economic voodoo of his riskier Republican opponent. And rightly so. Obama patched up the most serious damage committed by his Republican predecessor. He averted the collapse of his country's economy, he has recast its health care system and saved its auto industry. And all the while improving relations with the rest of the civilized world.

Posted by Worldmeets.US

In any event, this November 7, 2012, Obama is a far cry from the hopes he raised in his nation and around the world four years ago. His slogan "change and hope" is a long way from his triumphant and optimistic "yes we can."

So Obama returns for four more years. It is for him, free of electoral concerns, to demonstrate that he can still change himself - and change his country.