Obama at the Foot of the Mountain

Published in La Liberte
(Switzerland) on 24 July 2009
by Pascal Baeriswyl (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Louis Standish. Edited by Katy Burtner.
After six months upon a practically flawless route, Obama knows that he is at the foot of the "mountain" where he can now get sight of the rest of his presidency. For him, it's about avoiding the "Clinton Syndrome,” knowing that the resounding failure in 1994 to reform American healthcare clipped the progressive wings of the last Democrat in the White House.

Another time, another context. The United States of today is in a socio-economic situation infinitely more perilous than ever before. But they say that, in this type of crisis, the visionary dimension of politics can help break through an impasse.

In order to do this, since his victorious campaign, Obama has taken up the challenge of a sort of reform pedagogy that is more to convince rather than to impose. However, the new president equally knows that his image as a providential man is about to come down to Earth. Look at the continuing decline in his popularity (now above 60 percent) and the blow of criticism in the American press judging his dress.

Otherwise said, Barack the Charmer is going to have to learn to upset an important section of Americans if he wants to hold firm on his project for new healthcare.

For six months, the president has succeeded in breaking the negative image that kept the United States locked up during the Bush era. But this recovery has been essentially due to his charisma. It's thus the heart of his political ambition that is in the hot seat. Watch to see how he digs himself out of this first and crucial arm-wrestling match with Congress.


Après six mois d'un parcours quasiment sans faute, Obama sait qu'il est au pied de la «montagne», désormais, d'où il apercevra la suite de sa présidence. Pour lui, il s'agit d'éviter le «syndrome Clinton». A savoir, l'échec retentissant en 1994 de la réforme du système de santé américain, qui avait littéralement coupé les ailes réformatrices du précédent démocrate à la Maison-Blanche.

Autres temps, autre contexte. Les Etats-Unis d'aujourd'hui sont dans une situation socio-économique infiniment plus périlleuse qu'alors. Mais c'est précisément dans ce genre de crise, dit-on, que la dimension visionnaire de la politique peut aider à passer le cap.

Pour ce faire, depuis sa campagne victorieuse, Obama a fait le pari d'une sorte de pédagogie de la réforme afin de convaincre plutôt que d'imposer.
Toutefois, le nouveau président sait également que son image d'homme providentiel est en passe de se banaliser. D'où la décrue régulière de sa cote de popularité (au-dessous des 60%). D'où encore un vent de critiques dans la presse américaine sur son look vestimentaire jugé ringard!

Autrement dit, Barack le séducteur va devoir apprendre à déplaire à une part importante des Américains s'il veut tenir bon sur son projet de nouvelle couverture médicale.
Depuis six mois, le président a réussi à casser, de par le monde, l'image négative dans laquelle les Etats-Unis s'étaient enferrés sous l'ère Bush. Mais ce redressement a été essentiellement le fait de son charisme. C'est donc le cœur de son ambition politique qui est aujourd'hui sur le gril. Reste à savoir dans quel état il ressortira de ce premier et crucial bras de fer devant le Congrès.
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