Why is America so fascinated with the daily habits of Obama and his family?

Sorry, this seems like a stupid question, but I’m curious.

This was my first election that I was a part of (I’m 19) and I was utterly surprised by the almost celebrity status of obama during the whole election. I’ve never seen anything like it before and honestly, I don’t know what to think of it.

Like, I remember the COUNTLESS articles about who he is, what his life story was, blah blah. OH and then the issue of a “puppy” in the white house, and not a day would go by where he’d be standing on his podium, talking. I’ve NEVER seen so much hype about a person, seriously. The books, the interviews, the hype, the baby names…in the local paper one day, the top story for a few days was “WILL OBAMA QUIT SMOKING?!?” Seriously, give me a break.

Why is there such hype? Is it because he’s the first black president? Or the lofty promises he fills our minds with? His charismatic ways?

He’s just a very liberal democrat in my eyes. I couldn’t give a crap about his skin colour and I’m upset that much of this election came down to such a stupid factor as that. Is that the reason for all the hype?

Again, let’s not make this a political debate/his views/McCain’s views, we’re just talking about WHY America (at least the media) is so obsessed with him.