Barack Obama’s second term as US President will bring with it a greater focus on domestic economic policies and job creation, US Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley said yesterday.
We cast our votes, we have different opinions, but in the end we all work together
The incumbent Mr Obama swept past his Republican rival Mitt Romney in the race to the presidency in the early hours of Wednesday morning. By the time Europe awoke a new day, Mr Romney had conceded defeat.
Having dedicated much of his first term to securing healthcare reform, political observers now expect Mr Obama to switch focus to the economy. Ms Abercrombie-Winstanley shared that view.
“The economy and jobs are things he’ll be stepping up very early on. Domestic issues are very high on his list of priorities,” she said, noting both candidates had sought to discuss economics in their third debate some weeks ago.
She said Mr Obama’s re-election would send international observers a message of continuity, with the country carrying on along similar policy lines to those pursued over the past four years. That continuity would stretch beyond domestic policy to America’s international affairs, the Ambassador predicted. But she was hesitant to point to specific changes in foreign policy.
“It’s hard to say what changes will take place in foreign policy, because situations change. What’s going on in Syria today is not necessarily what will be going on in two weeks’ time,” she said.
Although future relations with countries such as Syria are understandably hard to predict, American-Maltese relations are somewhat sunnier.
That was reflected in a congratulatory letter Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi sent his American counterpart Mr Obama yesterday.
In wishing Mr Obama the best of luck throughout his second term and conveying his personal esteem, Dr Gonzi noted that relations between the two countries were so positive that “describing them as anything short of excellent would be an understatement”.
Although Mr Obama’s re-election dominated newspaper headlines, election day in the US also saw a number of seats within the House of Representatives and Senate up for grabs.
And while the Republican party was busy licking its wounds following its second successive presidential defeat, its congressional candidates managed enough votes to retain control of America’s lower house.
Ms Abercrombie-Winstanley was optimistic Mr Obama would manage to work alongside a Republican-led House of Representatives. She also praised both candidates for their appeals to work across ideological lines and unite as a nation.
“The President spoke very clearly – as did Governor Romney in his concession speech – about the need to work across party lines. We cast our votes, we have different opinions, but in the end we all work together,” she said. But in the end, there could only be one winner.
“Both candidates put forward the issues they felt would matter, and the President made the case well enough for him to be re-elected.”