Obama in Trouble

Reagan’s Iran-contra affair and Clinton’s Lewinski case have given rise to the myth of the curse of the second presidential term in the United States. Barack Obama predicted a difficult new term, and it has been, but not just because of the country’s polarization or the harsh Republican blockade in Congress. The scandals shaking the administration threaten to undermine the credibility of Obama’s message on the regeneration of public life.

It is true that the cases are of different nature and depth. The emails about the assassination of the ambassador in Libya seem to exonerate the White House of attempting to cover up the incident, which was initially presented as a spontaneous assault but in fact was an act of terror against the consulate in Benghazi. The messages reveal a lack of coordination. In addition, there were security failures. But the government recognized this at the time and it is improbable that there is much more to the matter.

More serious, however, is spying on the AP news agency and the use of the IRS against political rivals. Obama has proven inflexible on the investigation of the telephone records of six journalists, undertaken with judicial permission: Any leaks that put national security in danger (in this case, an operation against al-Qaida in Yemen) will be persecuted. Although the indignation from the press has not lessened, American citizens may support this argument. What will never be accepted is the use of state agencies for political ends. The fact that the IRS harassed Republican organizations and activists before the 2012 elections is intolerable for a society that is built on trust in institutions. Obama has dismissed the director of the IRS, but that is not enough. A thorough investigation of the case is unavoidable.

These scandals have troubled Obama in every respect because, taken altogether, they give the impression of a government that is invasive and disrespectful of liberties. The crisis demands a tough response. With legislative elections just around the corner in 2014, the last thing the president needs is to give life to the leaderless Republican Party that has made obstructionism its way of doing politics. If Democrats lose the Senate, Obama’s last two years will be a real ordeal.