EXPERT
COMMENT
University
Communications
View RMIT media
releases and
find experts:
rmit.edu.au/newsroom
MELBOURNE
BRUNSWICK
BUNDOORA
FISHERMANS BEND
POINT COOK
HAMILTON
HO CHI MINH CITY
HANOI
Obama and the lessons of Massachusetts
–
Expert available for comment –
The Obama Administration has suffered a major political blow after the
Republicans won Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat in Massachusetts yesterday, a year
after President Barack Obama came to office.
What does the Democrats’ loss in their heartland mean for the Obama
Administration and its reform agenda?
What impact might the result have on the US government’s domestic and foreign
policy?
In light of this loss, how should Barack Obama’s first year in office be assessed?
RMIT University’s Professor Joseph Siracusa is an expert on presidential politics
who has conducted extensive research on history, diplomacy and politics in
America.
He is the author of 20 books on modern America, including The Kennedy Years
(Facts on File, 2004) and Depression to Cold War: A History of America from
Herbert Hoover to Ronald Reagan (Preager 2002).
Professor Siracusa is Discipline Head of Global Studies in the School of Global
Studies, Social Science and Planning at RMIT.
He is available for interview on the Democrats’ loss in Massachusetts and
President Barack Obama’s first year.
For interviews: RMIT University’s Professor Joseph Siracusa, 0409 878 331.
For general media enquiries: RMIT University Communications, Gosia
Kaszubska, (03) 9925 3176 or 0417 510 735.
21 January, 2010
NEWS 
