Obama: is it all an exercise in image branding?

A recent thread here was closed due to low quality replies and exchanges but I'd like to start one on a very similar (but not identical) line. After Obama's incredible reception here by the people of Ireland, I would like to ask what makes him exceptional and a force for good in America (and the rest of the world)? Do people see him as another politician with a particularly good branding effort behind him, or a genuinely progressive leader?

As can be guessed from my thread's title, I think there's actually very little substance to the claims that he is a progressive leader. I believe he hasn't pursued notable breaks with the previous administration's policies and that all the interest and accolades lauded on him are done so only because people fail to look at his record.

I'm looking forward to hearing people's opinions.

autonomy

patricksars wrote: »

A recent thread here was closed due to low quality replies and exchanges but I'd like to start one on a very similar (but not identical) line. After Obama's incredible reception here by the people of Ireland, I would like to ask what makes him exceptional and a force for good in America (and the rest of the world)? Do people see him as another politician with a particularly good branding effort behind him, or a genuinely progressive leader?

As can be guessed from my thread's title, I think there's actually very little substance to the claims that he is a progressive leader. I believe he hasn't pursued notable breaks with the previous administration's policies and that all the interest and accolades lauded on him are done so only because people fail to look at his record.

I'm looking forward to hearing people's opinions.

In my opinion, I'm not sure why people see him as exceptional and force of good. To me, he his just carrying out George Bush's third term by continuously bombing middle-eastern countries and ignoring America's gigantic deficit!

BossArky

Moved from Reading Logs by OP's request

guitarzero

He's the Hollywood president. 'Independence Day' speeches, the 1st black president, the banter and comedy on youtube, 'Yes we can!'. Other than that, I'd say the majority would a bit lost to contribute on Obama. He brings a bit of theater.
Those who actually do a bit of reading and research would know a bit more .....and probably didnt show up on college green.

Overheal

All US Presidents are an image and a brand. This is hardly a political discussion is it? I feel like I'm being punked by FOX and Friends.

Memnoch

It's kind of sad.

I like Obama, though a lot of his actions have been a bit more to the right than I'm comfortable with.

Unfortunately, I shudder at the thought of the alternative.

In some respects he does come across like a Bush Lite. But then again, he has been hampered a lot by the American public idiotically giving control of the house back to the republicans as well as breaking the filibuster proof majority in the senate, when it comes to pursuing progressive policies.

Here's a brief list of stuff he's tried to do that he hasn't been able to because of a lack of support:

Close Guantanemo

Stop Tax Breaks for the wealthiest

Provide full health care

Stuff he has done:

Speak out against Israel's actions in a way we never saw Bush do.

Ended Don't ask don't tell

Attempted to address health care

Salvaged the economy (Now back to 2007 levels?)

Compromised with the Russians on Missile Defense

To me, he has far more integrity than Bush ever did and a lot more than the vast majority of the republican field in 2012. Even though I don't agree with some of his foreign policy positions.

Einhard

I think that the main problem in judging Obama, is that too many people, on both sides, do so from a base of excessive expectation. Thus, their opinions aren't based so much on what he's actually achieved or otherwise, but on what he's achieved relative to expectations. And nobody could live up to that standard.

I admire Obama, and I think he has achieved quite a lot in his term thus far. His health care reforms weren't everything he pledged, but they still amounted to the most significant package of social legislation since the Johnson's Great Society. Similarly, his reform of the financial regulatory system didn't go as far as some would have hoped, but it's still far reaching in its scope and, hopefully, its impact.

In terms of the economy, I think people forget just how dire the economic situation was when he took office. Things were still in free fall, and I think his attempts at arresting that spiral has been relatively successful. I remember at the time, that he was lambasted on all sides for pumping money into the failing US car manufacturers, whose return to profitability this month has been widely welcomed. Yet the naysayers refuse to credit Obama in the least for the turn around. On the broader economy, the US is well out of recession, business confidence is up, and consumer confidence shows signs of improving. The unemployment figures are still stubbornly high, but that always lags behind recovery. Many American firms have huge cash reserves, so it's perhaps only a matter of time before they begin to hire once again.

With foreign policy, I think people often underestimate how important a nation's image is on the world stage, and under Obama, the perception of America has improved remarkably (albeit from a low base). People may scoff at this being all "optics" but optics are important, and a better reputation both opens the door to greater co-operation with foreign governments, and blunts the attacks by the likes of Chavez.

In terms of substantive foreign policy, Obama has done as much as could be reasonably expected. He's sought to break the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate, and has significantly altered the public position of previous administrations, but there's nothing he an really do with an Israeli PM as intransigent as Netanyahu. He's tried though, and I think that most reasonable observers would accept that. Perhaps, if he gets re-elected, and Netanyahu doesn't, his diplomacy will allow the US to act as a real "honest broker" in future peace talks.

As regards wider FP, he's ended the US combat role in Iraq (a promise made by Bush), and has re-focused on Afghanistan, with a coherent strategy, and a timetable for withdrawal. One of his most impressive qualities, is the deliberation and deep thought that underpins his strategies. He may not get them right all the time, but it's refreshing to see some intellectual heft and adult discussion going into decision making. His Afghan strategy was 4 months in the making, and involved numerous sessions with his top advisers and military brass. And it seems to be paying off. I don't, for example, think that Bush would have been able to sit still knowing that Osama was sitting in a compound in Pakistan. People might disagree, but I think Obama's policies played a significant role in finding bin Laden, and nobody could argue with the courage he displayed in targeting him through direct engagement rather than through a missile strike.

Of course he hasn't lived up to expectations, but people really shouldn't have had those expectations in the first place. It's instructive to note I think that Enda Kenny has more power to change things in Ireland, than the most powerful man in the world has to alter things in his country. When one looks at it from that perspective, and actually looks at what Obama has achieved, I think that he has to be judged positively.