What do you think will be the biggest challenge facing President-elect Obama once he takes office?

That's a tough question. Our country is in a bit of a mess right now. We have a war to deal with, an economic crisis to pull through and the past 8 years have put a serious strain on our foreign relations. Also, people are not particularly patient. The problems we as a country face took years to make, yet people expect them to be fixed in months. This is just not possible. I think there are a lot of unfair expectations being placed on Barack Obama right now. This may have been the case regardless of who was elected. I feel as though his main issue will be proving that although he is young and not as experienced as some past presidents he can handle the issues that arise with grace and competency. His biggest issue will be gaining the confidence and support of people who questioned him during his campaign and are expecting him to (and possibly rooting for him to) fail in his first term as president. If he can prove that he is capable to enough of the skeptics around the country and world than he will be successful.

He has already accomplished possibly the biggest issue the US has and that is the realization that the US is not the same country it was as late as the mid-60s. The society has come a long way and this election has high lighted the changing face of American racial makeup. Finally at least at a representative level the country is showing it is more willing to get beyond the racial boundaries. His challenge will be to perform at a level that is expected of the average past president.

He faces a multitude of challenges and all are of equal priority. They include the economy, foreign wars, internal security, and preserving the constitution and its protections. The last time the economy was in a similar position it took the genius of FDR and a World War to dig us out. This time around, the challenge is even more as the government is not financial stable enough to spend us out of the problem, war is not an option and the economic model is different than the post '29 era.

We must remember that he is human, not a superperson and expectations need to reflect the realities of that fact. Sadly, it looks like he'll not even have the 100 day holiday afforded to most new presidents and he seems keenly aware of it. His campaign reflected some of what may be the very strengths we need in a president at this time; the ability to organize, think both short and longer term, surrounding himself with excellent persons reaching both to the past and future, excellent communication skills and staying focused on the end goal while developing and massaging the road map.

In summary, provided he does not stumble, he has already accomplished probably the most important in the US has to face, a move towards true racial equality.

Well the Challenges that lies ahead is not out of the norm of any other presidents before him. Sure he inherits a mess load of headaches, but it is his job to do so tackle and accomplish, in which he will. However, it is the difficult task of getting the rest of our people in America to get on board to believe. Unfortunatelyy we have people with the ignorance who still look at his colour as an issue those who think he will be shot, those who think (though he was top of his class) he is incapable and etc...

But Understand this; since the Republicans took over the Country has taken the turn for the worst with first the Lies of 9 11 and this false tales of this War (second coming of vietnam) and even division within it's (republican) own camp our Country has become what is know as (Failed State).

Ladies and Gentlemen United States Democracy Has fallen to an all time low. I believe President Obama Will bring resilentness, integrity, honour, Humility, and Economic strength back into a once prominent and strong nation. But it will take education, and true national Identity. When you look at countries like Canada (though problems with Quebec) still have a sense of nationhood and strong identitiy of being Canadian, Russia, and China; these beautiful countries believe in their nation and these nations function very well despite what some incometent mines may think or have an opinion. President Obama agenda will be more than efficient and stable enough to handle the obstacles that lie before him. This is his chance to show what a real leader is all about.

With the Democratic party sweeping both the house and the senate, there will be significant changes for the good of the people of this nation

Macieo

I believe that the most important issue Barack Obama will have to tackle once his administration begins is the Israeli-Palestinian issue. I think that he will have more success where others have failed on this matter because he will engage all the players in the region rather than the piecemeal approach that previous presidents have used.

I believe that a revitalized U.N. strongly supported by an Obama administration will give him the backing and support he will need in making the tough decisions that are needed to bring about, once and for all, a resolution to this very thorny issue.

One cannot help but sense that the world is waiting for an America that will once again be a fair, compassionate arbiter in the Middle East crisis. If this America comes out, nothing is impossible in that part of the world.

Ronald Wright, you should have known by now, What is America?

Not a bird, bee or ball, yeah, it's a country, nation, still a super power, which just allowed and encouraged, and it's people, citizens, voted for the best man to win the next Presidency. Barack Obama is the next President, and do not expect anything from him to do all well, perfect and right for the Americans on January 20, 2009, and thereafter.

Obama must change the name of the White House to, like the America House, or the First House, and it's not for any filthy stimulation, and I can tell you he will not call it the Black House.

Obama must review the Constitution of the USA, and bring in the new changes. Replace the old, sick, dying, just the emotional, symbolic or ornamental articles on race, gender, colour, all that crap; if America and the world is celebrating just because there is this handsome, tall, healthy, athletic black man in the White House, then America, or the USA, which can also stand for U Suck America, really suck.

Obama was powered by its people who selected him on November 4, 2008 to be their next President. And, it has been about them, the people, than about him, Obama.

He will re-define America for the Americans, give him time.

And the biggest challenge, not one of the biggest challenges, will be how Obama keeps the mind sets of people remain tuned and timed, programmed and proper to ever changing, winning and stirring the imagination of the world.

Rest will all be cosmetic, clerical, office work.

An administration like the U.S is not like any other one in regard of theire position and reputation. Theire Situation on the scale of the superpower of the world as been fragilized in the past years(7 years). The openning of the terrorism in the entire world and against the country itself had put the U.S.A on a downhill slope, economicly and mentally.

The challenge for Obama`s administration are mutiple and comming in many different form.

Starting with putting the country back on the position of a competitive exportator. China and Japan are just rising in a very bad moment for a fragile U.S. Also, theses to last emergent countrys are getting more serious in many sector that were before exclusively manage by the top superpower, wich is Ranking is getting mixed up.

Second, how to get out of a war like the one they`re involve in whitout the petrole. The U.S economy is built on it and the vice that come with.

Some of the population want to see the change he promise regarding lower taxe at the end of the year and take the soldiers out of there, but those promises are in total contradiction.

Second, Staying alive, there a serious racism problem still going on into this country. Those who didn`t vote for him are weirdly pissed off. They killed Kennedy and he was a white man. Some emmergent country knows the U.S situation and a civil revolution would be a disaster to that country if Obama would be murdered.

Those outside provocation can be base on many more angle then only the one about the president security. This can also mean to test the new president with some provocation. That would be the last brick on the head of this country and his new administration would fall and being on the ground for a while. Considering all those large lines, this news and bless administration, symbole of deep change, is going to compose with very high voltage circomstances and on a breathing machine economy. So put it all in the hat and pick for electing the biggest challenge of the obamas crash test dummies administration. Wich I sincerly wish they make it!!!

Thank you and sorry for the english writing, you know am a french quebecois.

Simon Piette

Personally I feel that President-Elect Barack Obama's biggest challenge will be staying alive and avoiding assassination attempts.

Because Barack Obama will have too face the racist radicals in the country. Being the first elected African-American president WILL be dangerous and I can almost guarantee that there is going to be a plot to assassinate the new president. I suggest that Obama take a huge interest in protecting himself for the moment.

Because if they tried to Assassinate Bush & this that he‘s white, they’ll most likely try to Assassinate Mr. Obama due to all the racism there is in the U.S.

As a Canadian I wish Mr. Obama the best of luck and for the sake of the free world I hope he survives his presidential term and gets the United States back on track and recovered from the Recession and the overseas Problems such the Wars in Iraq & Afghanistan.

The tanking economy ( which I‘m sure it’s in Recession right now ) ,

the 10 trillion dollar National Debt, the Credit crisis, The Wall Street Meltdown, The 2 wars, and a bunch of his own citizens that think he is a muslim, a terrorist, & born in another country.

Fixing the economy from The devastation that the Bush policies have had over the last eight years.

All of these issues It will take at least two terms to resolve.

Also, people are not particularly patient. The problems the U.S a country face took years to make, yet people expect them to be fixed in months. This is just not possible. I think there are a lot of unfair expectations being placed on Barack Obama right now.

He needs to abandon his campaign promises. You don’t cut off the hand that feeds you. I find it amazing that there has been no correlation between companies outsourcing and unions. It was great when unions were formed to have people band together and get safe working conditions and the fair pay that they deserve. The problem is they don’t disband and they become the nasty corporate entity that they were fighting. They are no longer looking at the best interest of their union members but union officials are looking to line their own pockets (much like government officials). So the demands become outrageous and companies leave the country – then the union member is out of a job – union didn’t help them at all. The most hypocritical thing is that most union members don’t support other union members when they shop – they go for the bargain non union shops ie. Walmart. Talk about selfish.

The fact is there will always be the rich and the poor – we had a very large middle class but that will disappear if he follows through with his plans. Gouging corporations with taxes to “get the bad guy” will only hurt us – unemployment will rise (we are seeing that now) the rich will pull their money from this country and move – they can – I would if I were them. The money pot in America will shrink and there will just be less money moving around and hence we will all be poorer. Look at the stock market – going down, down, down that’s money leaving the country. Remember going after companies is not necessarily going after a person – it’s go after the stock holders. Your 401K is part of that – so by going after the company you’re hurting your retirement plan.

IMHO, Obama is in a nearly impossible situation. Republicans have so entrenched the USA to their agenda that there will be no graceful way to undo the damage they've done. The choice was let the Republicans enslave the people and destroy the world with its imperial ambitions of world domination or vote for Democrats and Obama. Now that he has wrested the reins of power from Bush and his ilk. What can be done about an IMPOSSIBLE debt load, a collapsing economy and 2 ongoing wars?

The Federal reserve bank has enslaved them all. Who was it that said.. "give me control of the countrys money supply and I care not who makes its laws.."

The war of Independence was fought for nothing since King Georges bank system ended up implemented anyway as the Federal Reserve Bank.

The Constitution suggested that when the country government ceaces to be by the people and for the people. The population has a moral obligation to overthrow the government. This is no longer practical.. How can an oppressed population rise up against the most technically advance war machine ever invented? Citizens will never gain access to Military grade equiptment and so it would only be sticks and stones vs Juggernaught.

Short answer. Were all doomed.

I think his biggest challenge will be the economy. If something is not done to fix the economic problems America and the rest of the world faces, he can forget about all the other promises he made. If he does not get a handle on the economy, the country will collapse, as will the rest of the world.

I voted for Obama and I am thrilled that he won the election, fair and square. Even though, the voice of the people has been heard, loud and clear, the few that do not share my joy, will try to bring him down. He will have to prove himself, along with fixing the mess this country is in.

I have read other posts here saying that he is not my president. Well, if you are a citizen of this country, like it or not, he is your president. So, get a grip and get with the program.

God Bless the USA and President Elect Obama.

I think there are a couple of issues that Obama must face: a). The horrible health-care, b). The horrible economy, c). Bad international policies.

Health care in the US is really bad in comparison to many other countries like Canada. I think Obama must face this fact and will have to figure out a way to improve the basic health care for the American people. Many people are losing tons of money because they have to pay huge health-related bills.

We all know that the economy is doing really bad right now. Not just in the US, but all over the world. I think Obama has a very steep hill to climb in terms of fixing the economy and bringing the US back to how it was before 9/11. Once the US improves in economy, the world will improve.

International relations between the US and other countries is not very good right. Especially with the war on terror going on in the middle east. I think Obama will need to do a better job then Bush when it comes to international policies and relations.