Obama's first 100 days

last updated 8 January 2015

"The first 100 of the 1,461 days in a presidential term are an imperfect predictor of how a leader will ultimately be judged," said E.J. Dionne in The Washington Post. But they provide "a clear look at a president's style." And Obama "has been a crisp decision maker" and a calming influence on the country, thanks to the way he "combines intelligence and intellect."

Obama is still popular as his first 100 days end, said Fred Barnes in The Weekly Standard, because he's "riding a wave of announcements, claims, hopes, and possibilities." But that probably won't translate into a successful presidency. "Obama's policies of courting enemies and airing the country's supposed misdeeds" won't strengthen America, or make it safer.

One thing is for sure, said David Jackson in USA Today. Obama charted "a different course than his predecessor, George W. Bush." Bush focused on Iraq, Obama stresses Afghanistan. Bush wanted to help Americans buy private health insurance, Obama wants government to help reshape the health-care system. "It's hard," said Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution, "to find a more different contrast between the presidents."