
Paul Krugman’s article, “In Defense of Obama,” in Rolling Stone has caused a minor stir. In it he counters the anti-Obama currents swirling on both the left and the right by suggesting that Obama “has emerged as one of the most consequential and, yes, successful presidents in American history.”
“Obama was indeed naive: He faced scorched-earth Republican opposition from Day One, and it took him years to start dealing with that opposition realistically.”
– Paul Krugman
Krugman was not always a fan. “Back in 2008, when many liberals were wildly enthusiastic about his candidacy and his press was strongly favorable,” Krugman writes. “I was skeptical. I worried that he was naive, that his talk about transcending the political divide was a dangerous illusion given the unyielding extremism of the modern American right … And I wasn’t wrong. Obama was indeed naive: He faced scorched-earth Republican opposition from Day One, and it took him years to start dealing with that opposition realistically.”
Even now, Krugman writes, the president’s most historically consequential successes — healthcare reform and recovery from the 2008 financial crash and the Bush recession that ensued — come with caveats. “Health reform is imperfect, but still a huge step forward,” says Krugman,”and it’s working better than anyone expected. Financial reform fell far short of what should have happened, but it’s much more effective than you’d think. Economic management has been half-crippled by Republican obstruction, but has nonetheless been much better than in other advanced countries. And environmental policy is starting to look like it could be a major legacy.”
After presenting his case on Obama’s achievements in healthcare, financial reform, the economy, the environment and national security, Krugman sums up:
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