How's My Driving?
One year after Obama’s election night win, Garry Wills, Katrina vanden Heuvel, Walter Isaacson, and others assess whether the president has delivered on America’s soaring expectations.
Michael J. Maloney, Pool / Getty Images
Just Another PoliticianBy Monica Crowley
Once perceived as transformative, Obama now looks more and more like a regular politician, ensnared by petty squabbles, obsessed with politics instead of leadership, and often paralyzed by decision-making.
______________________________________________
Trillion Is the New Billion By The Daily Beast Video
Bush was a disaster at cutting spending, but under Obama the U.S. deficit is $1.8 billion and the cost of health-care reform is $829 billion. These numbers are going to sink us, says Christopher Buckley. WATCH VIDEO.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
______________________________________________
More Credit DeservedBy Walter Isaacson
Obama hasn’t put an end to the partisan vitriol, but he should get more recognition for preventing our financial system from going off a cliff.
______________________________________________
In his campaign for the presidency, Obama said he was not against war, just against dumb wars. Yet he is waging and expanding the dumbest kind of war—and creating his very own Vietnam.
______________________________________________
No Messiah, but a Good SwimmerBy Katrina vanden Heuvel
Denouncing the Obama administration’s missteps or worse doesn’t get us far—it promotes exactly what the president’s adversaries seek: his political disempowerment.
______________________________________________
Dangers Come After Year OneBy Larry Sabato
History has taught us not to take presidential first years too seriously: No one foresaw how Vietnam would doom LBJ or Watergate would unhorse Nixon.
______________________________________________
You Can't Ask for MoreBy Ted Widmer
For the vast middle of this country, and the even vaster populations that lie beyond it, it has been a relatively good year.
______________________________________________
If Only Obama's Performance Mattered More By Rick Perlstein
The last year has taught a hard lesson in the power of a determined minority to keep the majority in check. Forty senators representing about 9 percent of Americans can filibuster Obama’s initiatives—and the media declares him a failure.
______________________________________________
Obama Needs a LeftBy Michael Kazin
For the president to have a chance at becoming another FDR, he needs a big push from the left—or the conservative assumptions that have kept the nation in thrall for the past three decades will continue to hold sway..
______________________________________________
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.