Prof Patman, a specialist in international relations at the University of Otago politics department, said Mr Obama had given a "deeply moving speech" and again shown himself a "great communicator".
He had offered a hopeful blend of the continuity of American values and the need for change to meet the challenges of a changing world.
Mr Obama had also delivered "a hard-hitting critique of the last eight years" of George W. Bush presidency.
His speech had acknowledged that the United States faced "enormous problems", including the growing economic recession and overseas wars, but these could be overcome by working together.
"With Mr Obama in the White House, you're going to see quite a dramatic restoration of America's international reputation," Prof Patman said.
His insistence on upholding the rule of law and human rights would be "extremely bad news for al Qaeda and international terrorism", Prof Patman said.
"In terms of intellectual ability, he's a heavyweight.
"This is a person who has demonstrated he can overcome challenges in his own life. He's very clear-headed."
Prof Patman said an Obama presidency would not impede the good progress made with the United States in both trade and defence links under the previous Clark government.
Another "very positive" aspect was that Mr Obama was likely to be more supportive of the United Nations and of the multilateral approaches to international problem-solving which were supported by New Zealand.
