General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Elizabeth Warren, Not Hillary Clinton, Should Be the Next President of the United States [View all]question everything
(48,476 posts)Look at what is happening in Iraq, and will in Afghanistan. And Syria, and Egypt and Libya and the Ukraine. Not his fault, but did happen while he is/was in office, so this will be his foreign affairs legacy.
Middle class is still squeezed. Students loans are in the roof. Yes, I know and you know that there is nothing he can do with the party of NO but future generations will see this as an excuse. You really have to know your politics - as most of us on DU know - to excuse Obama but the outcome will speak loud and clear.
No everyone can be LBJ, but having longer relations with Congress, knowing the movers and shakers, schmoozing with them, having more experienced advisers may have helped. Instead he got the ones from his campaign which were whiz at running a campaign and reaching voters, but none as far as running a government.
His setting a "red line" as far as Syria and then essentially saying "never mind" created an image of an inept president as far as foreign affairs go. I don't know whether this was a signal to Putin.
Just like the factions in Iraq, his declaration of a willingness to compromise created the image of weaknesses. Just a fact on the ground.