Obama’s Credit Crisis

Why is Obama getting the “credit” for “losing” the Senate because that “elitist” state Massachusetts chose a moderate Republican (who is to the left of Olympia Snowe) instead of a totally spoiled brat?  Something is wrong (if unsurprising) when the prognosticators are tallying the final score before the game has even been played. No offense, Nate Silver.

With all the Obama-bashing that is so in vogue these days and meant to display a counter-cultural distaste for the establishment, I have felt defensive for Obama because I feel that much of the backlash is uncritical and unwarranted.  Maybe I just like staying ahead of the hipster political curve.  Either way, at the very least, Obama has not been given enough credit for sticking to his timetable for withdrawing from Iraq and thus potentially winning the Iraq war (or at least the hearts and minds of 80-90% of Europe and the Middle East, who are capable of understanding that even Obama can’t make foreign policy turn on a dime, unlike the United States’ population).

As I’ve said before, the main (and sufficient) reason I had voted for Obama was because of the way the rest of the world would perceive America, and it turns out that at least that campaign promise is right on the money after one year in office (today).  After only one year of Air Force One privileges, Obama is already the United States’ most well-traveled President.  While Americans may not be able to see all of the things Obama is doing right, at least the rest of the world can.  Hopefully, their political perspectives and opinions can make it across our porous borders as usual.  If nothing else, at least the Internet is pretty porous (for now).  We’ll see if Obama keeps his promise on that one.