Human beings have always looked for someone to solve their problems since the dawn of civilisation. That is why most civilisations had a religion with elaborate ceremonies and rituals to solve problems, from drought to infertility. One ineffective way to solve problems was to attribute them to someone or something, hence the popularity of witches and scapegoats.
Today, that thinking has persisted. We are still looking for someone to solve our problems. Obama is one such person. That is why he was awaited with so much anticipation. Through him, we saw solutions to our problems, from terrorism to slow economic growth.