While most Americans were watching Election Day coverage from the comfort of their homes, MSU Political Science Professor Joe Kunkel was overseas in Germany, where Germans, along with the rest of the world, were watching just as intently.
News 12's Ryan Gustafson has more.
After receiving over 66 million votes -- the most ever in U.S history -- and winning a landslide in the electoral college, much of the world celebrated along with president-elect Barack Obama and his supporters.
With the global community having such a positive reaction to the American election, U.S relations abroad are expected to improve.
But with global expectations so lofty, the rest of the world may be disappointed in the results.
Joe Kunkel says: "The expectations are so high. When you've got 80 or 90 percent of the Germans liking Barack Obama, expecting a complete change from the Bush Administration. Barack Obama is still going to be an American President. He's still going to do what he thinks is best for American national interest. And that isn't going to always be what the Germans or the Europeans or the Syrians or anybody else wants."
Kunkel says there is a huge difference between foreign interest in our government, and our interest in foreign governments.
Something that may need to change as the world markets become more and more interconnected.
Joe Kunkel says: "America tends to be, unfortunately, rather self-centered. As the world becomes more closely knit together because of globalization, trade and communication and such, I think it's more important than ever to be knowledgeable of what's going on too."
With just 67 days until inauguration, the world won't wait long to find out if the new administration lives up to the hype.
In Mankato, Ryan Gustafson, News 12.
See a clip of the KEYC broadcast at http://www.keyc.com/node/13370
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