Give Obama Time

Published in La Liberation
(France) on 20 January 2010
by Fabrice Rousselot (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Drue Fergison. Edited by Jessica Boesl.
What can he really do? When blowing out the candle, the “Yes we can” president did not really have the hoped-for anniversary. If one believes his detractors, since being in the Oval Office, the brilliant campaign orator has not measured up to his promises. In the United States, between quasi-racist arguments and partisan political hysteria, the ultra-conservatives have retaken the bull by the horns.

In 12 months, however, Barack Obama has established himself as an historic president. He is the architect of health reform that America would not even have dared to draft a few years ago. Also, without pushing it, he has changed the image the world held of a leading world power, which was weakened by eight years of unbridled and unilateral Bushism. Obama’s America has returned to the consort of nations as a partner open to dialogue and turned toward the future. Of course, not everything is resolved – far from it. But who could really have believed that Obama would work miracles over Afghanistan, Iraq, the economic crisis or the environment in just a few months?

At the White House, he declines the modus operandi that was his for three decades – that of the social worker from Chicago and the legislator from Illinois, who moved through negotiation and the search for consensus to arrive at a solution. The break does not have the easy sparkle of Sarkozyism, but will be measured in the long run. Nobel Peace Prize winner in a time of war, Obama was the first to underscore that he did not deserve the honor and that he should be judged based on his actions. Let’s give him a little more time.


Que peut-il vraiment ? A l’heure de souffler la bougie, le «Yes we can»-président n’a pas forcément l’anniversaire espéré. A en croire ses détracteurs, le brillant orateur de campagne n’a pas été à la hauteur de ses promesses une fois derrière le bureau ovale. Aux Etats-Unis, les ultra-conservateurs ont repris du poil de la bête, entre arguments quasi racistes et hystérie politique partisane. En douze mois pourtant, Barack Obama s’est imposé comme un président historique. Il est l’architecte d’une réforme de la santé que l’Amérique n’aurait pas même osé esquisser il y a quelques années. Sans forcer aussi, il a changé l’image que le monde portait sur une première puissance mondiale abîmée par huit années de bushisme débridé et unitatéral. L’Amérique d’Obama a réintégré le concert des nations comme un partenaire ouvert au dialogue et tourné vers le futur. Certes, tout n’est pas réglé, loin de là. Mais qui pouvait réellement croire qu’en quelques mois, Obama allait opérer des miracles sur l’Afghanistan, l’Irak, la crise ou l’environnement ?

A la Maison Blanche, il décline la méthode qui est la sienne depuis trois décennies. Celle du travailleur social de Chicago et du législateur de l’Illinois, qui passe par la négociation et la recherche du consensus pour parvenir à une solution. La rupture n’a pas l’éclat facile du sarkozysme mais se mesurera dans la durée. Prix Nobel de la paix en temps de guerre, Obama a été le premier à souligner qu’il ne méritait pas la récompense et qu’il faudrait le juger sur les actes. Laissons-lui encore un peu de temps.
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