The election of Barack Obama in 2008 as the first black president of the United States is historic. After serving two terms in office, he has made history, and historians will have a lot to write about his rise to power, his leadership and his legacy. But what exactly will history say about him?
History has always been fair in assessing U.S. presidents. For Example, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt are ranked as the best three presidents by a wide margin. President Obama is no exception. Also, in a survey conducted on 20 best U.S. presidents, Obama is ranked 12th. So no serious history writing about President Obama can be done without taking into account the deep economic recession he inherited in 2009 when he took office and the economic growth he helped generate thereafter.
In 2008 the United States experienced a severe recession, almost similar to the 1930s. The misfortune of George W. Bush fell on President Obama's shoulders. The country was fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the housing market crumbled, and some major corporations are either in default or on the brink of collapsing. Those were some big problems among many others that the president dealt with and solved. He could have gotten more done if he didn't face an adversarial Republican Congress. Even so, he reached many milestones that elevated him to the status of one of the best U.S. presidents.
Some of his accomplishments while in office include the killing of Osama bin Laden; economic recovery and healthcare; the saving of General Motors, Chrysler and other major corporations from shutting down. He also improved Conditions for Consumers and Small Businesses; strengthened the middle class and fought poverty; addressed Civil Rights and Equality; protected the rights of LGBTpeople; improved Conditions for Women; and addressed criminal justice failings and the gun culture are some of the issues he advocated for.
Now in all fairness, let history be the judge. President Obama has changed the political landscape in the United States. Like George Washington, the first president of the Republic, Obama will also be known in history for the first time in the country's tradition as a black president. So he paved the way for any capable minority to lead the nation some day. His leadership is tested in terms of his administrative abilities, foreign and domestic policies. His accomplishments are part of the legacy he left for Americans and the world to enjoy and to learn from. He beat the odds to become president of the United States.
In our own capacity, President Obama invites us all to emulate his leadership skills and to complete his legacy by creating our own. First of all, it requires the education and a commitment to public service to fulfill such a high aspiration. Those qualities form the centerpiece of President Obama's political success. In fact, history will say that he has served the country well. Despite all the challenges he faced, he has made a difference because the United States is better off today. With a 51% approval rating, he is leaving office in three weeks on a high note.
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek," President Obama.
