Obama’s first 100 days
As President Barack Obama reached and passed the first 100 days in office, the national media has been very much preoccupied with assessing the
effectiveness of his administration. Some have said rightly or wrongly, that Obama, as the first African American President, has been viewed more critically and
unfairly by the national media. The critique from the right is that President Obama has tried to do too much too fast.
Just what has President Obama, who campaigned on a platform of change, accomplished in the first 100 days? The President has hit the ground running as
he felt it necessary to immediately deal with a multitude of national and international crisis and problems. His first act as Commander and Chief was to take
action to end the war in Iraq. This was a major change in direction from the previous administration where there was no end in sight. Simultaneously, in a
ramped-up effort to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban, he announced a major increase in the deployment of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, while changing the
nature of the United States’ relationship with key ally Pakistan. In two actions that have been lauded by leaders from nations around the world, President Obama
took immediate action to prohibit torturing by making it illegal for the U.S. Military while issuing a proclamation calling for the closing of the military prison in
Guantanamo within one year. The response from the right came via former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich who
have falsely accused the President of undermining the nation’s security.
The President moved quickly to address the worst financial crisis since the great Depression which he inherited from the Bush Administration. He stopped
the free-fall of the Stock Market with aggressive moves to infuse capital into the ailing banking, housing, mortgage and automotive sectors. These actions have
also served to jump-start the rebuilding of schools, hospitals, road, bridges and the national infrastructure. President Obama went to France to attend the G-20
Meeting where he was well received and got support for his efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as funding commitments for the World Bank to address the
international fiscal crisis. He has also supported legislation that will curb and/or eliminate high interest rates and predatory lending practices. President Obama
has done all of this in the face of staunch opposition and foot dragging by the Republicans in Congress. As a result of their whining and complaining, the
Republicans are facing their lowest approval ratings of 30 percent or less. Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia practiced the tired old strategy of trying to focus
the blame elsewhere telling Wolfe Blitzer of CNN’s Situation Room that the Republicans aren’t doing so well in the polls because they are getting a bad rap from
the liberal media.
President Obama has moved quickly and decisively to address the challenge of a worldwide Swine Flu pandemic. He has used the bully pulpit of the White
House to raise concern while reassuring Americans and the rest of the world that all would be done with good haste and speed to stop the spread of this terrible
disease. The Republicans are now receiving major hits for efforts that they have undertaken that have served to undermine the nation’s ability to address the
challenges of this Public Health crisis. They held up the approval of President Obama’s nominee, Kathleen Sebelius, for Secretary of Health and Human
Services leaving the nation without a key leader at such a critical time. Another Republican, Representative Susan Collins, in lock-step with an editorial written
in the Washington Post by Karl Rove, took action to remove funding from the Economic Stimulus Package that would have made funds available for vaccine for
fighting pandemics. Rick Perry, the Republican Governor of Texas — the guy who threatened to send back federal funds slated for his State from the Economic
Stimulus Package and who then called for Texas to secede from the Union — hypocritically and without any shame, was one of the first to step in line for his
share of the millions of doses of anti-viral vaccine provided by the Federal Government.
President Obama has also signed an Executive Order that reverses a Bush Administration policy so that Federal Funds can now be used to support Stem
Cell research. While the Republicans and those from the religious right have cried foul, the vast majority of the American public — hopeful about the potential
cures that this new research offers — has strongly supported this change in policy.
Internationally, President Obama has moved aggressively to rally support from other nations to address the growing problem and challenges of piracy along
the coast of Somalia. He was criticized for not taking military action against the pirates that attacked the Maersk, an American ship headed to Kenya by Newt
Gingrich. After he ordered a successful attack that resulted in the death of three of the pirates and the release of the captain of the ship, Rush Limbaugh was
critical saying that President Obama was getting a pass from the “drive-by-media for the shooting of three Black teenagers because he is Black” (ergo, President
Bush would have been called a racist if he had been the one to order the shooting of the three pirates).
President Obama’s trip to the Summit of the America’s in Mexico City and his attempt to reach out to Cuba via Congressional Black Caucus emissaries has
been well received at home and abroad. The only critique that the Republicans could muster in response came from Senator Judd Gregg, the Republican from
New Hampshire. He is the person that President Obama nominated for approval as his Commerce Secretary who later withdrew. The only complaint that Senator
Gregg could bring forth was to criticize President Obama for shaking Venezuela President Hugo Chavez’s hand and receiving a book about America’s imperial
history in Latin America. Gregg said that it was disgraceful for an American President to be cast in such a light and implied that Obama was supportive of
Chavez’ policies towards the U.S. How foolish.
Despite all of the critiques mentioned above, and much to the chagrin of the Republicans and the Right, it is clear that the American people continue to
have faith in President Obama’s leadership. The most recent ABC News/ Washington Post Poll document the fact that there is a 68 percent approval rating for
Obama. The only other President to get numbers this high after the first 100 days in recent history was Ronald Regan. When President Obama’s Press Secretary
Robert Gibbs was asked how the President would grade himself in terms of how he had done for the first 100 days, he said the President would give himself a B+.
Given the staggering nature of the monumental problems and challenges facing the new president, his efforts have been nothing short of phenomenal. In a
widely read piece, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson has described it best as “a presidency on steroids.”
effectiveness of his administration. Some have said rightly or wrongly, that Obama, as the first African American President, has been viewed more critically and
unfairly by the national media. The critique from the right is that President Obama has tried to do too much too fast.
Just what has President Obama, who campaigned on a platform of change, accomplished in the first 100 days? The President has hit the ground running as
he felt it necessary to immediately deal with a multitude of national and international crisis and problems. His first act as Commander and Chief was to take
action to end the war in Iraq. This was a major change in direction from the previous administration where there was no end in sight. Simultaneously, in a
ramped-up effort to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban, he announced a major increase in the deployment of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, while changing the
nature of the United States’ relationship with key ally Pakistan. In two actions that have been lauded by leaders from nations around the world, President Obama
took immediate action to prohibit torturing by making it illegal for the U.S. Military while issuing a proclamation calling for the closing of the military prison in
Guantanamo within one year. The response from the right came via former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich who
have falsely accused the President of undermining the nation’s security.
The President moved quickly to address the worst financial crisis since the great Depression which he inherited from the Bush Administration. He stopped
the free-fall of the Stock Market with aggressive moves to infuse capital into the ailing banking, housing, mortgage and automotive sectors. These actions have
also served to jump-start the rebuilding of schools, hospitals, road, bridges and the national infrastructure. President Obama went to France to attend the G-20
Meeting where he was well received and got support for his efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as funding commitments for the World Bank to address the
international fiscal crisis. He has also supported legislation that will curb and/or eliminate high interest rates and predatory lending practices. President Obama
has done all of this in the face of staunch opposition and foot dragging by the Republicans in Congress. As a result of their whining and complaining, the
Republicans are facing their lowest approval ratings of 30 percent or less. Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia practiced the tired old strategy of trying to focus
the blame elsewhere telling Wolfe Blitzer of CNN’s Situation Room that the Republicans aren’t doing so well in the polls because they are getting a bad rap from
the liberal media.
President Obama has moved quickly and decisively to address the challenge of a worldwide Swine Flu pandemic. He has used the bully pulpit of the White
House to raise concern while reassuring Americans and the rest of the world that all would be done with good haste and speed to stop the spread of this terrible
disease. The Republicans are now receiving major hits for efforts that they have undertaken that have served to undermine the nation’s ability to address the
challenges of this Public Health crisis. They held up the approval of President Obama’s nominee, Kathleen Sebelius, for Secretary of Health and Human
Services leaving the nation without a key leader at such a critical time. Another Republican, Representative Susan Collins, in lock-step with an editorial written
in the Washington Post by Karl Rove, took action to remove funding from the Economic Stimulus Package that would have made funds available for vaccine for
fighting pandemics. Rick Perry, the Republican Governor of Texas — the guy who threatened to send back federal funds slated for his State from the Economic
Stimulus Package and who then called for Texas to secede from the Union — hypocritically and without any shame, was one of the first to step in line for his
share of the millions of doses of anti-viral vaccine provided by the Federal Government.
President Obama has also signed an Executive Order that reverses a Bush Administration policy so that Federal Funds can now be used to support Stem
Cell research. While the Republicans and those from the religious right have cried foul, the vast majority of the American public — hopeful about the potential
cures that this new research offers — has strongly supported this change in policy.
Internationally, President Obama has moved aggressively to rally support from other nations to address the growing problem and challenges of piracy along
the coast of Somalia. He was criticized for not taking military action against the pirates that attacked the Maersk, an American ship headed to Kenya by Newt
Gingrich. After he ordered a successful attack that resulted in the death of three of the pirates and the release of the captain of the ship, Rush Limbaugh was
critical saying that President Obama was getting a pass from the “drive-by-media for the shooting of three Black teenagers because he is Black” (ergo, President
Bush would have been called a racist if he had been the one to order the shooting of the three pirates).
President Obama’s trip to the Summit of the America’s in Mexico City and his attempt to reach out to Cuba via Congressional Black Caucus emissaries has
been well received at home and abroad. The only critique that the Republicans could muster in response came from Senator Judd Gregg, the Republican from
New Hampshire. He is the person that President Obama nominated for approval as his Commerce Secretary who later withdrew. The only complaint that Senator
Gregg could bring forth was to criticize President Obama for shaking Venezuela President Hugo Chavez’s hand and receiving a book about America’s imperial
history in Latin America. Gregg said that it was disgraceful for an American President to be cast in such a light and implied that Obama was supportive of
Chavez’ policies towards the U.S. How foolish.
Despite all of the critiques mentioned above, and much to the chagrin of the Republicans and the Right, it is clear that the American people continue to
have faith in President Obama’s leadership. The most recent ABC News/ Washington Post Poll document the fact that there is a 68 percent approval rating for
Obama. The only other President to get numbers this high after the first 100 days in recent history was Ronald Regan. When President Obama’s Press Secretary
Robert Gibbs was asked how the President would grade himself in terms of how he had done for the first 100 days, he said the President would give himself a B+.
Given the staggering nature of the monumental problems and challenges facing the new president, his efforts have been nothing short of phenomenal. In a
widely read piece, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson has described it best as “a presidency on steroids.”