a misunderestimated president

Slate's Jacob Weisberg provides a bracing counterblast to the oddly pervasive idea that Obama has wasted his first year in office:

This conventional wisdom about Obama's first year isn't just premature—it's sure to be flipped on its head by the anniversary of his inauguration on Jan. 20. If, as seems increasingly likely, Obama wins passage of a health care reform a bill by that date, he will deliver his first State of the Union address having accomplished more than any other postwar American president at a comparable point in his presidency. This isn't an ideological point or one that depends on agreement with his policies. It's a neutral assessment of his emerging record—how many big, transformational things Obama is likely to have made happen in his first 12 months in office.

Following this week's announcement on Afghanistan I suspect we'll see the beginnings of a recovery in the president's popularity ratings. As and when healthcare reform passes, and the jobs situation improves, Obama's numbers will climb quite steeply.

Comments

[Will M]

Whilst I would certainly like that to be true, and it may be true that Afghanistan and health care will possibly be less of an issue in the public's mind, in my opinion as long as unemployment isn't falling Obama's popularity will be.

[Marbury]

Isn't that what I said? I agree, his ratings are dependent on the jobs situation. But at some point next year it's likely that will start improving. There's nothing fundamental to Obama himself keeping his ratings down.

[Will M]

Possibly I was misreading you, I thought you were suggesting that unemployment numbers were just one of several factors here determining the medium to long term direction of his job approval ratings. My point is that it is the sole factor.