Michelle Obama has often said, “;You can't really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii.”; How might President-elect Obama's Hawaii roots influence his approach to the presidency?
  Lee Haruno
Senior
“;Hawaii epitomizes a diverse and dynamic society, whose ideals can be applied to the national and global community.”;

Monet Miske
Senior
“;The culture in Hawaii tends to instill in its members a sense of warmness and openness, which expresses itself through kindness and understanding.”;

Sean Watanabe
Junior
“;He has interacted with wide varieties of people, all of whom share a common aloha.”;

Chloe Liu
Senior
“;The aloha spirit has a way of being infectious. President-elect Obama has definitely been impacted by it.”;

Chelaine Eliazar
Senior
“;Growing up in Hawaii teaches people to be open-minded to ideas and cultures, a mindset important to a future president.”;