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Obama Wins; The World Responds

NPR

Published November 6, 2008 at 10:55 AM EST

In his victory speech on Tuesday night Obama addressed his worldwide audience: "Our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared," he said, "and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand."

Talk of the Nation becomes Talk of the World as listeners from around the globe weigh in on Barack Obama's historic victory in the 2008 presidential election.

Though commentary from around the world is largely supportive of the president-elect, Obama steps into the White House as the country wages two wars and faces a precarious international economy.

Listeners worldwide share their reactions to Obama's victory and talk about their hopes and anxieties for the future.

Guests:

Desmond Tutu, South-African cleric and anti-apartheid activist; winner of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize

Hanan Ashrawi, legislator and chairperson of the Executive Committee for The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue & Democracy

Natan Sharansky, former Soviet dissident and human rights activist, chairman of the Shalem Center's Institute for Strategic Studies

Ted Koppel, NPR senior news analyst