Just over one year ago a new era dawned in US Politics. Following eight years of leadership by what many describe as the worst president in living memory a youthful, ethnic and charismatic Barrack Obama was sworn in. All eyes of the world were on a man who promised reform, change, and a new dawn for the world. All eyes focused on this man. It was a time where the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded, all Europeans loved his calm and methodical approach, the world really was his oyster. He was not President Bush and many thought he could turn America back into the land of Dreams.
How a year can change things.
Today Republican Scott Brown won a shock victory in Massachusetts following the death of Senator Edward Kennedy. The result means that the Republicans have now lost their 60 seat stronghold in the Senate causing serious doubt over his Health Reform plans which are without a doubt the most important domestic change yet.
The Americans are seeing the defeat as humiliating for the Democrats, especially as it is so soon in the first term and the fact it had been a Democrat seat since the 1960’s. So has Obama’s halo slipped off so soon?
Europe especially took to Obama; many perceived him as the next Kennedy, a youthful, vibrant president who urged change yet with a manner that appealed to all. A man of ethnicity that could breach racial barriers. In April 2009 he offered the world a vision of a Nuclear free world stating that it was not an impossible fact, such was the power of his words that even North Korea were listening.
But let’s get back to reality.
Afghanistan is a complete and utter mess, Obama was faced with a decision that could have seen a U-Turn in his pledge up to the Presidential race and that was either scale back the number of troops or send more. The world waited with baited breathe. America stalled, sent more troops but Europe did not follow suit, the first real snub for Obama. Then there was the climb-down on his promises for the Environment, Guantanamo Bay remained open and the war on terrorism still rages on. There has been no break through in the Middle East and indeed many believe that Obama is a man of just words.
So whilst the worlds eyes are no longer solely focused on Obama we still keep an ear to the ground. Obama so far has not delivered anything major but he is still in his Presidential infantile state. Whilst those like Kennedy and Lincoln will go down in history as Presidents whose policies changed the world Obama still has time to join that illustrious list.
