America is Back

Barack Obama summed up the speech with which he opened his campaign for president of the United States with the word “change,” which came to embody the hope for the change that his country needed. At the crux of this change were peace, dialogue with enemies and reconciliation with Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas. At that time, Obama spoke of reclaiming the international prominence of the United States, and especially of realizing the American dream, which, in his view, had weakened.

In his inaugural address as the nation’s new president, he told his supporters they were united by the idea of “hope over fear” and “unity of purpose over conflict and discord.” “Less measurable, but no less profound,” said Obama, “is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable… Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America. To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.”

In 2012, his speech changed tone. And it seems this new tone is about re-election.

In his State of the Union address on Jan. 24, Obama said the fundamental American promise is that if you work hard you can earn enough to raise a family, own a home, send your children to college and save for retirement. “The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive.”

To keep that promise, he spoke of a sustainable economy, an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers and a renewal of American values: “A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded.”

His words for Iran: There is no doubt that America is determined to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and all options are on the table to achieve it.

The United States remains “the only indispensable nation in world affairs,” said Obama, “and as long as I’m president, I intend to keep it that way.” “Anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn’t know what they’re talking about.” In short, “America is back.”

From the fragments of these two speeches there appear to be two Obamas. Evidently the “change” has worked for Obama. As the saying goes, some things are easier said than done.