Students cozied up on couches and armchairs Tuesday in South Hall for a panel discussion about international perspectives on the U.S. presidential candidates.
The panel consisted of University students, including one alumnus, who represented Egypt, Bangladesh, France, Morocco and the United Kingdom.
The discussion was part of a series called “Cookies and Controversy,” hosted by the Global Connections Residential College and moderated by history professor Meredith Veldman.
Veldman said the idea for the panel came to her while she participated in the LSU in Ireland study abroad program this summer.
When people found out Veldman was from America, she said everyone, including children, exclaimed, “You’re American? We love [President Barack] Obama.”
The panelists agreed that the international community shows overwhelming support for Obama and dislikes Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Ahmed Abdel-Khalek, a University alumnus, represented Egypt on the panel.
“People didn’t believe Obama would win, but they were very happy when he did,” Abdel-Khalek said. “We have a bad idea about Republicans from President [George W.] Bush’s administration.”
History junior Jenny King and American studies junior Leah Ireland, exchange students and panelists from the United Kingdom, agreed that people from the U.K. think Bush represents all Republicans.
“Mitt Romney is going to be very difficult to disassociate with Bush because he’s a Republican,” Ireland said.
Naser Imran Hossain, a mechanical engineering graduate student, represented Bangladesh on the panel.
According to Hossain, the international support for Obama is more emotional than it is in the U.S.
“Anything that does not rhyme with Bush is popular,” Hossain joked.
The panelists agreed that many people abroad, especially younger generations, support Obama for one reason: his “cool” factor.
“Obama just seems cooler, and for loads of people, that’s enough,” King said. “He just seems like a nice guy.”
According to Hossain, the images candidates project are more important than their policies. Obama shows a more human side that Romney doesn’t exhibit, he said.
“Romney goes back and forth with his opinions, which is taken negatively,” Hossain said. “You need to show consistent opinions and consistent policy.”
A question from the audience got the panelists talking about how the candidates’ presence, or lack-thereof, at the Olympics influences international opinion.
Romney said the Olympics were disorganized, but when First Lady Michelle Obama visited, she made positive comments.
Although the president did not attend, his wife’s kind words went a long way in contrast with Romney’s negativity, said Ireland.
“We understand that the president can’t just drop everything and come,” Ireland said.
Soufiane Haddam, French and Moroccan panelist and electrical engineering graduate student, said there is a feeling that America does not care about foreign affairs.
Republicans have failed to project their ideas globally, but Democrats seem to be more diplomatic, Haddam said.
“The US cannot just consider issues bound within the country,” Hossain said. “If Republicans want to win people around the world and not just in the U.S., they are going to have to change their tactics.”
