An alternative look at Obama’s 5th year

[DonViejo]

By Steve Benen

When books are written on Barack Obama’s presidency, it’s unlikely that his fifth year will be celebrated as the pinnacle of his tenure. On the contrary, it’s a year White House officials almost certainly consider a disappointment.

But I’m not sure it’s been quite as disastrous as advertised.

For much of the Beltway, that the year was an abject disaster is a foregone conclusion. “Little seems to have gone right for the White House in 2013,” Politico noted this morning in a piece asking which administration had the worst fifth year. Obama had the “worst year in Washington,” the Washington Post concluded last week. 2013 “has been a pretty terrible year” for the president, BuzzFeed argued.

This has been “Obama’s year from hell,” The New Republic said. When Beltway pundits aren’t comparing Obama’s 2013 to George W. Bush’s 5th year, they’re comparing it Richard Nixon’s 5th year.

Even the most enthusiastic Obama supporter would probably balk at heralding 2013 as a success, but the premise of these analyses seems a little excessive. Consider:

full article
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/alternative-look-obamas-5th-year

[1StrongBlackMan]

1. But ... But ...

Twice congressional Republicans threatened debt-ceiling default; twice Obama stood his ground; and twice the GOP backed down before Congress did real harm. The presidential leadership helped establish a new precedent that will benefit Obama, his successors, and the country.



* Congressional Republicans shut down the government to extract White House concessions. Obama and congressional Democrats stood firm and the GOP backed down.



* The Obama administration forged an international agreement to rid Syria of chemical weapons, struck a historic nuclear deal with Iran, and brought Israelis and Palestinians to the table together for the first peace talks in years.



* The economy has steadily improved, and 2013 is on pace to be the best year for U.S. job creation since 2005 and the second best since 1999.



* The “scandals” the media hyped relentlessly in the spring proved to be largely meaningless, and while the president’s poll numbers have dropped, his standing is roughly at the same point as two years ago.

"Oh that? But if he was a REAL leader, he would have ... And, we want single-payer!!!!!"

[JoePhilly]

6. Add ... GDP in 3Q grows to 4.1%

Just another thing that doesn't matter.

[CTyankee]

2. Your reach should always exceed your grasp.

Obama set an extremely high bar for himself. Isn't that what you are supposed to do? Would it be better if he set low standards for his presidency?

[quadrature]

3. 2013 for Obama, about an average year.

worse than 2012.
better than 2014.
about average.

[TeamPooka]

4. K&R!

[Jamaal510]

5. His worst

year has been 2010 hands-down, for obvious reasons.

[BobUp]

7. My Belief Is

Given the obstructionism of the first five years, I think President Obama has done quite well or good considering the circumstances. If we were to ask any righty how they think Obama has done in any year, we would of course receive the same answer which would to them be, terrible or horrible. All the more reason not to even believe the Reich Wing rhetoric, which I despise anyway.

In one way, Obama has made some history buffs ponder upon how difficult it's been for him to accomplish anything, pretty much unprecedented obstruction tactics never before employed towards any other President in modern times. I believe history will be kind to Obama and give him a lot of respect. At least that's the way I view him.