An Andrew Sullivan Dish reader provides a good summary of the President's accomplishments. As I reviewed the list, it occurred to me that President Obama and former President Bush face some of the same challenges in seeking re-election.
President Obama's greatest accomplishment is avoiding the total collapse of our economy, which he did in large part by pumping gargantuan sums of money into key U.S. industries. Consequently, we incurred the loss of American confidence and amassed an incomprehensible amount of national debt.
President Bush's greatest accomplishment is avoiding another devastating international terror attack in the post-9/11 years, which he did in large part by waging war(s) in the Middle East. Consequently, we suffered the loss of thousands of lives and amassed an incomprehensible amount of national debt.
Bush was confronted by an all-consuming terror attack and security crisis just a few months into office. Obama was confronted with the threat of an impending economic disaster and financial crisis. Both presidencies are largely defined by the perceived success, or lack thereof, in managing through these crises, and in both cases, Americans underestimate the enormous good that was achieved.
