Abstract

The image of Barack Obama as an intelligent, charismatic person, ready to take up new challenges, as well as the election campaign – stressing techniques associating his ideas with general images of hope and change – are some of the main factors that paved his way to the White House and granted him success. Since his taking office on January 20th 2009, several months have already passed and certain alterations in conducting politics may clearly be observed. The changes are also visible in perceiving the president himself.

This paper, basing on the Survey Data since 2007 until now, concentrates on the analysis of these changes. The author is trying to trace the perception of the image of Barack Obama in the context of his rivalry for the position of the Democratic Presidential Candidate against Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, his victorious battle for presidency with John McCain, and his current activity as the President of the United States. Particular emphasis has been placed on the perception of the personal elements of his image, i.e. certain features of his character and his convictions. The author's attempt is to find an answer to the question: In what direction is the perception of Obama's image going to change?

As we know, the image of Barack Obama as an intelligent, charismatic person, ready to take up new challenges, as well as the election campaign – stressing techniques associating his ideas with general images of hope and change – were some of the main factors that paved his way to the White House and granted him success.