In so many ways, Obama was better than we imagined, better than the body politic deserved, and far, far better than his enemies will ever concede, but the great thing about being great is that the verdict of enemies doesn’t matter. In fact, and I say this as a Bill Clinton fan, I now feel certain that, in the coming decades, Obama’s star will rise higher than Clinton’s, and he’ll replace Bill in the public mind as the Greatest Democrat since FDR.
This has to do with the nature of Obama’s leadership, which is to play to legacy (and Clinton’s impulse, which is to play to the room). Bill Clinton will long be revered because he’s charismatic, presided over an economic revival, and changed and elevated the view of the Democratic Party. Barack Obama will long be revered because he’s charismatic, presided over an economic revival, and changed and elevated the view of the presidency. He’s simply bigger than Bill.
More to the point, Obama’s legacy is the sort that gets canonized. Because the first rule of Hall of Fame-dom: The times have to suck for the president not to. Civil wars, World Wars, depressions and recessions. You got to have ’em if you wanna be great. That’s why we rate the Washingtons, Lincolns, and Roosevelts over That Fat Guy with the Walrus Mustache. Like Obama, these Great Men were dealt sucky hands, won big, and left the country better off than it was before.
I am sure this will upset a lot of Bill Clinton supporters but I think the points made in the article are accurate, and to many of us obvious.
Personally I have been making the case for years now that there is no longer any question concerning the fact that President Obama is going to go down in history as one of our greatest Presidents ever.
The only question remaining is will he be considered THE greatest President in history.
(You know you can almost hear the Right Wing's sphincters tightening up and the very idea.)
He very well may be THE greatest president. Hillary could be a great president. Bernie would be a liberal version of George Bush- ignorant and embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteAnd the fireworks will go off now. I agree with you.
DeleteBernie would *not* embarrass us like Dullard George did. No way would Bernie be giving Angela Merkel a back rub. I'll bet he wouldn't toss his cookies in China either, or keep reading a children's book while the country was being attacked.
DeleteAnd Bernie wouldn't have shoes thrown at him.
DeleteNah, Bernie just stalks the Pope in hotel hallways and forces a handshake at 6 a.m. while the Pope is trying to get to Greece to help refugees.
DeleteI think he is one of the greatest POTUSs of all and accomplished Much in-spite of GOP obstructionism, hate & bigotry on all levels of our "impartial" Congress and Senate <--snark off...I do think he will have some surprises for US (not to mention the mouthbreathers) before he leaves, he will confirm a SCOTUS (he can do it) and I believe he has a few other surprises up his sleeve as he is in the "fuket" stage of his presidency. Also in-spite of being one of the most beloved POTUSs he has been mistreated in the US by the asshole mouth breathers led by STUPID Palin & Co. Its amazing how much respect he gets overseas compared to here in the USA and that is a complete disgrace to this country of so called "Patriots" are just gov hating Palin loving thugs. Shame on them all! When Bibi comes here they fall all over themselves to kiss his ass. I call that treason! I almost feel that POTUS and his family are so "Above it all" the stupid asshole RW doesn't affect them on way or another, except they have damn good security! I'm going to miss him, but I believe he will be back (after taking some time to travel unencumbered by assholes penny pinchers bean counters "how much is this trip costing the taxpayers" He will return and serve either as a SCOTUS or in some other capacity in Madame POTUS cabinet. I will miss dear President Obama but he will not abandon us, there is so much work to be done! SCOTUS would be a good fit or him or AG.
Delete@ mialuppa
DeleteNo, Bernie will just smack another world leader in the face with his flailing arms and start a world war tht way.
@11:14 am
DeleteYes I agree. President Obama has something up his sleeve! He is staying in DC "because" he doesn't want to interrupt his daughter's schooling. :)
President Obama is THE GREATEST! His support of HRC means everything to me, too.
ReplyDeleteHistory will remember that liberals stayed home out of pique for both midterms and abdicated their responsibility to help drive progressive causes. They took their ball and went home because he wasn't addressing their priorities while he was trying to put out fires and trying to keep the country from going up in smoke.
DeleteI don't think anyone will be greater than George Washington. As the first president, he could have turned the Presidency into something more like the monarchy - where he stayed in office until he died. AT the time, people expected him to stay in office until he died and were surprised when he didn't run for re-election.
ReplyDeleteBy doing that, he set the stage for the peaceful transfer of power which is a gift to the country that few can compete with. Like the article said, sometimes greatness is dependent on the issues that face you/the country.
Lucy
Barack isn't far behind!
DeleteLucy
If you visit Mt. Vernon, you can see the slave quarters where they lived when they worked for George Washington.
DeleteHow much do we really know abut Washington. NO 24/7 news cycle, no cameras or recording devices. We've never, ever seen him candidly. We do have a lot of mythology.
DeleteWhat I will say about George Washington that really surprised me: his agrarian inventions that are highlighted at Mount Vernon. His heart was in farming.
DeleteWashington wasn't perfect. The gift of peaceful transfer of power is remarkable, and not replicated except to follow in his steps.
DeleteFormer girlfriend of Clarence Thomas claims she had threesomes with the controversial Supreme Court justice and some of his female colleagues
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3543232/Former-girlfriend-Clarence-Thomas-claims-threesomes-controversial-Supreme-Court-justice-female-colleagues.html
http://www.vox.com/2016/4/16/11408576/anita-hill-clarence-thomas-confirmation
DeleteAnon 9:28 Well here I am having to use eye and brain bleach after that visual. Who besides his nasty tea-bagger wife Ginni would want to have sex with that rat bastard?
DeleteBarrY tHe FairY
ReplyDeleteMarrieD to a TrannY
With a gay body-man, ReggiE LoVe
He will be more famous as Bathhouse Barry
In the steam rooms of Chicago's gay bathhouses than anything he did as President
So what they call Clarence then?
DeleteYou are one special kind of stupid.
DeleteSo What?
DeleteHe is a happy intelligent great, teacher, father, husband and leader. Pure Love..
:-)
It really pisses you right wingers off that the black democrat has true family values, doesn't it?
DeleteGryph, you did not have to let this one through. They're not even a good troll. More like 2nd grade mentality, if that.
DeleteRepublicans tried so hard to tear President Obama apart from the day he took his first oath. But, it just didn't work. He outsmarted them every step of the way!
DeleteHe will be extremely difficult to replace and I fear for our country unless Hillary Clinton is our next POTUS.
9:31am is a frustrated, closeted gay that knows he'll never get a piece of his beloved Barry, but that doesn't stop him from lusting and fantasizing.
DeleteGo stick it in a glory hole dude, and ask the other guy if you can call him Barry, it might relieve some of the tension that you obviously are harboring.
You are a pitiful little creature, aren't you? You are your racist, closeted pals just can't stop fantasizing and obsessing about how the black president must be gay. You sure spend a lot of time thinking about him in those bathhouses, don't you? Just how much time do you spend "researching" this silly fantasy of yours?
DeleteYour stupid comments about his gorgeous, accomplished, lovely, wife are so pathetic.
You will never have such a loving and beautiful marriage as the Obamas.
Step on out of the closet, you hypocritical self-loathing coward.
What a worthless pathetic loser you are.
9:31
DeleteYou are a special type of fool. How old are you ... 12?
I agree - that poster (9:31) has key mental challenges and should not be allowed to post here, for his own sake/sanity/reputation.
DeleteWe've had a wonderful respite from this sad, pitiful excuse for a human being.
DeleteToo bad he's back to trash up the place again.
WHO HAA?>
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2016/04/16/bernies-bad-week-continues-pope-francis-denies-holding-meeting-sanders.html
Nah, I think just the opposite. The Republican's sphincter didn't tighten up. I think when they read that they'll say, "Whoops, I crapped my pants!"
ReplyDeleteAnd the biggest Republican jerk, Mitch McConnell just needs to look in the mirror to realize HE is the reason for the rise of Donald Trump. McConnell is a do-good nothing, obstructionist.
Plus, he is physically revolting!
DeleteI still say that, as much as it would hurt all of us, part of me wants to see Trump and/or Cruz elected so the likes of the pee pond can get EXACTLY what they've been praying for.
ReplyDelete"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." -- Romans 1:22 There's your Bible verse, $ARAH.
There will never be another one like him.
Now I am wondering what RW sphincters sound like when tightening en masse.
ReplyDeleteI know what they look like: Trump's bottle-sucking mouth.
DeleteSorry to add to the low-grade comments on this post.
Good article. I voted for Obama three times (once as senator) and I'd vote for him again, for any post. He's been a marvelous president and leader.
ReplyDeleteNow, the critics of Obama that have steamed from the beginning were the ones from the far left. I expected criticism and nastyness from those on the right, but when he's attacked from the left for "not being liberal enough", or "he hasn't done enough", or "we wanted single-payer and he didn't give it to us", I want to just scream. How can presumably smart people be so damn stupid on how government actually runs? Anyway, I think he's been pretty damn good!
Thank you for your great work in voting for President Obama so many times. I canvased for him in PA in '08 door-to-door, as well as phone banked. He's the best!
DeleteOT>
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vox.com/2016/4/15/11410160/hillary-clinton-media-bernie-sanders
The dignity and classiness that President Obama and FLOTUS display shows how strong and intelligent they are in the face of unbelievable criticism. Admiration and praise for their wonderful representation of our country is boundless. Our partners in the rest of the world appreciate and know the hard work the President has put forth during his tenure. They recognize his abilities and support him leading the way in so many areas.
ReplyDeleteAll his actions have been with both hands tied by the do nothing legislators who are determined to make him a failure. Yet they are getting paid everyday for their obstructionism and took off without providing a budget before their vacation.
We are so fortunate to have Obama paying off the unfunded debts Bush left him and Obama's efforts to dial down the warrior rant that the right wing would have him choose.
Impressive President and First Lady and daughters.
I so agree with you!!! President Obama has done an outstanding job and I've put up here many times during the past year that he should have a place on Mt. Rushmore.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama will beat the Republicans AGAIN which is the best thing about it. They have tried so hard to diminish him as POTUS and history will not allow it!
President Obama is young and will continue doing magnificent things with his life - I have no doubt!
Bless him and his family and VP Biden and his!
I think he has made the top 5. My list is below:
ReplyDelete1. George Washington
2. Abraham Lincoln
3. Franklin Roosevelt
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. Barack Obama
I never thought Clinton was that great. Indeed, I often thought he should be a Republican. He passed all the bills the R's wanted: slashed capital gain taxes, NAFTA, fast tracked China, "reformed" welfare, mass incarceration, etc....
I love the Obamas for so many reasons, too numerous to name. Certainly, Mr. Obama will be remembered as one of the Great Presidents. No doubt about it.
ReplyDeleteAs time passes, Obama's legacy will only shine brighter and G.W.'s will only plummet more.
ReplyDeleteAs the year's pass, George Bush will start to vie with a few other presidents for the worst presidency ever, while in retrospect Obama's presidency will only look better and better.
And this Republican congress will be exposed as the worst, most racist political one ever.
His great presidency (in spite of their From-Day-One obstructionism) has only made his GOP opponents hate him more. I will always wonder what could have have done with their help -- in simply governing, not obstructing. We will never know what a progressive presidency + congress can do....or will we? VOTE! down-line elections are more important than ever.
DeleteWait until Hillary is elected.
DeleteI'm so sick and tired of this bullshit.
And $arah leads the pack of vindictiveness because God didn't answer her prayer the way she wanted. It should have been ME!
A big Archie Bunker raspberry to her.
I think what will really be remembered after the fact, is the "no drama Obama". Much of what he has done has been quiet and persistent. That doesn't always get noticed in the world of "if it bleeds, it leads", but oh, are we going to miss it when he has left office. Things just quietly got done. Look at Iran for instance. GW wanted to bomb; Netanyahu wanted to bomb; the Iranian extremists wanted to return the favor. But Kerry and Obama got Europe, Russia, and China on board. They quietly, patiently worked with the Iranian counterparts. Both sides were aware of the need to account for the extremists on both sides. Patiently they thread that needle, making necessary concessions without huge drama. I'm convinced that with that agreement, Mr. Obama earned his Nobel Prize. (Mr. Kerry deserves one too.)
ReplyDelete12 photos of Obama discovering his inner child at the White House science fair
ReplyDeletehttp://www.businessinsider.com/obama-white-house-science-fair-photos-2016-4
As an educator who works with children of color, many of whom are dealing with poverty, dysfunctional home lives and disabilities, I was thrilled when Barack Obama became our first African American President. For the first time, I could point to someone who looked just like them and had come from a non-traditional family, and tell my students that they could accomplish anything if they worked hard. I proudly cast my vote twice for him and felt confident that the intelligence and sound judgement he displayed during the campaigns would make him an excellent President.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I never expected him to attain the kind of success he has against the overwhelming odds he faced, with a level of racism not witnessed since the Civil Rights movement, and the hateful, fanatical obstruction of Congress and the entire Republican party. He has accomplished far more than I'd ever hoped, rescuing our economy from a free-fall, protecting our environment, and raising our country's reputation around the world.
Throughout his term, he has also demonstrated an astonishing level of dignity, compassion and integrity, as have the First Lady and their daughters. Add to that a fantastic sense of humor and the ability to poke fun at himself, and you have a President who will leave a legacy that will be extremely difficult to match.
I am so thrilled that I was alive to experience this man's Presidency, and proud that I was able to help put him in the White House...twice!
I had a feeling this was going to happen. Once I heard Bernie Sanders was staying at the same hotel the Pope Francis lives (what a coincidence), Bernie was probably going to have his people stalking the premises and hallways of Casa Santa Marta for the Pope and once the Pope was in the hallway, Sanders’s people would call Sanders who would run out into the hallways to meet the Pope. Now Sanders’s people will say the Pope met Sanders. I knew it!
ReplyDeleteVatican City (CNN)Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders met with Pope Francis on Saturday during his visit to the Vatican, the senator told CNN.
Sanders, a U.S. Senator from Vermont, traveled to the Vatican to address a conference on social, economic and environmental issues.
He described his meeting with the Pope as "extraordinary," saying it happened before Francis left for Greece, where he's visiting refugees.
They met in a hallway at the Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where Sanders and his wife spent the night, he said.
Pope Francis said on Saturday that his meeting with Bernie Sanders, contesting the Democratic candidacy for the U.S. Presidency, was not meddling in politics and that anyone who thought otherwise should "look for a psychiatrist".
DeleteSanders and the pope met briefly on Saturday morning at the Vatican guest house where Francis lives and where Sanders and his wife spent the night after he addressed a Vatican conference on social justice.
"When I came down, I greeted him, I shook his hand and nothing more. This is called good manners and it is not getting involved in politics," the pope told reporters in answer to a question aboard the plane returning from the Greek island of Lesbos, where he visited a refugee camp. [L5N17J063].
"If anyone thinks that greeting someone is getting involved in politics, I recommend that he look for a psychiatrist," he said, laughing.
---------------------------
Watch the video of the Pope saying this: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-sanders-pope-airplane-idUSKCN0XD0RE
I agree re Obama's greatness. PLUS, the suckyness of his time was made far worse by the racist obfuscation he met at every turn.
ReplyDeleteNot only presided over a recovery, but rescued us from a total meltdown.
Not as important, but I sure appreciate it: no simple-minded self-inflicted scandals. like so many presidents, esp Bill.
To the Pope, however—well, even the word “meeting” seems to overstate how he saw their encounter. He made a point of clarifying that the handshake and pleasantries they exchanged should not be seen as a political endorsement.
ReplyDelete“This morning when I was leaving, Senator Sanders was there,” he told reporters in Italian aboard the papal airliner today, after his visit to the refugee-filled Greek island of Lesbos. “He knew I was leaving at that time and he had the courtesy to greet me. I greeted him, his wife, and another couple who were there and were sleeping in Santa Martha. This is called good manners and it is not getting involved in politics.”
http://qz.com/663579/the-pope-met-with-bernie-sanders-out-of-politeness-and-good-manners-he-says/
He WILL go down as one of the best Presidents, ever. When he first came on the national scene, I devoured his books then went back and re read them again. What endears him to me is how genuine he is. I think he's young enough to remember the struggles of not having his dad in his life, then having a dad and losing his mother at a young age, then being raised by grandparents. He's closer to the reality of the struggles and made the most of his life, not to mention marrying his equal and being a role model for fathers everywhere. I often wonder how proud his mother would be to know all his accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteThe ACA, his signature cause, saved people's lives and saves families money. I'm going to miss him when he leaves office. Two of the best votes I ever cast.
Timely article here - I had a conversation with my sister earlier today and told her how amazing it is that this great man led our country in my time - I don't have to read history books about this incredible president!
ReplyDeleteDepending on my mood, I either become quite sad or very angry when I hear intelligent people attack him for the most absurd things - It's opened my eyes to the astonishing level of racism that still runs through the fabric of our society. People I know and love are among those who repeat ridiculous things about him AND his family.
I've lost interest in people I once admired who absolutely HATE this man for no other reason than his race. Oh, they don't SAY that but, I'm not stupid. The reason I know it's race? When they speak about him, they cannot hide their raw hatred. Professional and successful people I've associated with over the years and never saw that side of them.
We have a long way to go. Before I delude myself into thinking I'm colorblind and never have a racist thought - this president has awakened my own demons - I still have work to do.
One thing I believe 100% is that President Barack Obama is one of the greatest presidents that ever led this country. Wish I could thank him personally for his infinite patience, courage and kindness.