Is Obama now a 'great' President?

The Democrats' victory on health-care reform is the defining moment of Obama's presidency so far. Can we now compare him to FDR and Reagan?

President Obama
(Image credit: Corbis/Brooks Kraft)

Overhauling the nation's health care system has been a goal of numerous presidents dating back to Theodore Roosevelt — and Obama's ability to get it done has some pundits making lofty comparisons. Ed Schultz of MSNBC says that, based on passing health care refom, "this president will go down in history as one of the greatest first-term presidents ever." At least one Reagan-admiring conservative is comparing him to the Gipper. Did Obama's win on this issue really assure his legacy? (Watch Obama's post-health care passage remarks)

This is the beginning of the next chapter: At last, after months of "sour" headlines and "political bickering," Obama's presidency has been "resurrected," says Sasha Abramsky in The Huffington Post. During the 2008 election, Obama convinced us he could be a "transformative president." Now, in "securing a reform" that has eluded leaders from FDR to Clinton, the President's "legacy is beginning to be cemented in place."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us