the buzz log

Barack Obama is the next president of the United States. Is he also the planet's most popular man? Let's take a look at the Buzz and see if we can find out.

Big in the USA. Even bigger in Kenya.
Barack Obama's father was from Kenya and that country hasn't forgotten it. After word broke that Obama won the presidency, Kenyans, including some of Obama's relatives, expressed great joy. Web cams captured the celebration and news agencies explained that "Obama: The Musical" recently opened in Nairobi. The president of Kenya even went so far as to declare a national holiday.

What if the whole world could vote?
The Economist projected how the entire world would vote for president. The results are as stunning as they are blue. If every country had a say in the Electoral College, the news magazine projects that Obama would beat McCain 9,115 to 203. The only countries in McCain's column: Algeria, The Democratic Republic of Congo, and Iraq. Everywhere else is either Obama's or a toss-up (yes, that includes Kenya).

Obama's world-wide popularity, Part II.
Various news outlets, including the Associated Press, reported that Obama's victory "unleashed a global tide of admiration, hopes for change and even renewed love for the United States." Around the globe, folks from France, Indonesia, South Africa, Japan, and other countries expressed hope and support for Obama's promise of change.

And what of Search?
As of Wednesday morning, Barack Obama was the most popular personality in Search. Obama is currently generating more lookups than any starlet, athlete, or supermodel you can imagine. Given the historic nature of his victory, the unprecedented amount of coverage, and his millions of enthusiastic fans, this shouldn't come as a huge surprise. The Obama campaign's theme was change and hope. Clearly, those words stuck not just with Americans, but with citizens of the world as well.