Commentary: Obama, Pragmatist Without Results

Barack Obama still dominates the political stage. The U.S. President cleverly utilized the ceremonial frame of the annual State of the Union address in order to depict himself as a political pragmatist for the upcoming election year.

After Obama’s speech, it is hard to deny the impression: The guilt for blockading the American political system lies solely with the Republicans. With his State of the Union address, Obama predetermined the election guidelines. From mundane suggestions regarding deregulation to the concept of tax reform, the President meticulously pitched the political program for the last year of his first term in office based on its popularity with a majority of Americans.

In the recent past, Obama struck populist tones. Now, he has muffled his rhetoric. And with that, he refined his contrast with the Republican presidential contenders, who are ensnared in ever sharper rhetoric in their bitter fight for the nomination.

The political climate needs to cool off a bit, said Obama. This statement is particularly resonant given the recent ascension of Newt Gingrich, one of the most aggressive of the Republican agitators. The President’s message: Look, I am not the radical they want to make me out to be after all.

Obama still believes that he represents the middle of the political spectrum. But in the last three years, he couldn’t implement this into practical politics, and it is extremely unlikely that this will change in an election year that the Republican opposition has made out to be the salvation of America.