Obama: The Doubts Set In

The month of August is ending badly for Obama. The ten day holiday he has awarded himself will give him just enough time to regain his strength and, more importantly, to keep a low profile for a while.

Just a few weeks ago the media were treating him as a hero, but now the president’s every action is a target of criticism. Even the cost of his holiday at Martha’s Vineyard – a little too exclusive for some tastes – has come under scrutiny.

The man who successfully dazzled America and transformed its image around the world has tripped up on ambitious plans for the healthcare system, reform of which is as necessary – and as difficult to pass – as ever.

He has not managed to explain clearly how he intends to extend medical insurance to the 50 million people who are currently without it, while at the same time stabilizing the social security budget.

His enemies have been quick to misrepresent his plans. Public debate has been dominated by claims that a “socialist” medical system is going to be imposed on the American people, including the ideas that abortions will be paid for, euthanasia will be encouraged, and illegal immigrants will receive free healthcare. Not even Obama, for all his eloquence, has been able to discredit these false assertions.

The opinion polls are harsh. They show that healthcare reform is rejected by a majority of Americans and that the president’s popularity is being dangerously eroded.

Many are starting to wonder whether Barack Obama is going to turn out to be a disappointment – good at dealing in generalities and inspiring people’s dreams, but unable to tackle harsh realities. In retrospect, the first months of his presidency, when his popularity enabled him to do more or less whatever he liked, have produced few positive results, either in domestic politics or overseas.

In the Middle East he has managed neither to pressure Israel into suspending the settlement of the West Bank, nor to obtain from the Arab nations any confidence-building measures to encourage negotiation. He may have changed American discourse about the Muslim world, but he has yet to launch any real peace initiatives.

In the case of Iran, Obama’s “open hand” policy cannot continue indefinitely without a response. Before too long he will have to decide to impose sanctions, which means he will also have to convince Russia and China at the UN Security Council.

Lastly, in Afghanistan, the new American strategy must be made clear. With the armed forces asking for reinforcements on the one hand, and skeptics calling for the mission to be scaled back on the other, a decision is going to have to be made.

When he gets back from his holiday, Barack Obama is going to have real difficulty in tackling all three of these very important issues. It’s a shame that he should have lost so much political capital on the domestic front just when needs to move beyond noble statements of principle. But then, government during a recession is never easy.