Preserving the Obama Legacy

[whatchamacallit]

I like president Obama. It's hard not to like president Obama. He's done some good things for this country. Arguably, he's done some things that, depending on your perspective, are not so good. Such is the case with most presidents (with the exception of W maybe). Take the ACA, it's certainly a milestone achievement, but depending on your situation and experience, you may view it as a blessing or a curse. We all agree it's far from ideal, and history will reveal if it was a good start or a blind alley. Among other issues: economy, civil liberties and justice, foreign policy... it's a mixed bag. He's done a good job, but there's PLENTY of room for improvement.

This is why I'm confused by the assumed mandate to preserve his legacy as if it's sacrosanct. Especially, in the context of the primary race. I get the desire to hold ground against the eroding force of a republican president, but using Obama's performance as the standard by which we measure and contrast the democratic primary candidates, is kind of limiting and shortsighted IMO. It seems to be a go-to for disparaging Sanders, who doesn't reject Obama's accomplishments, but simply has some other ideas and is honest about the opportunity for improvement. Hillary on the other hand, seems to be associating herself with Obama's legacy purely to score easy points with the base.

What do you think?

[SamKnause]

1. I agree.

I don't want any of the good things that were done under the Obama administration undone.

I want to take them all forward and improve on them.

I want all the bad things that were done under his administration, the Bush administration,

and the Clinton administration undone. (Too numerous to list all.)

That's my vision for this country.

[whatchamacallit]

2. Yep. I think a lot of the legacy thing is related to driving a wedge between

Sanders and the black community.

[Stellar]

4. how so?

[whatchamacallit]

6. Well, if you read the myriad posts

claiming Bernie has disparaged Obama with impunity, you can see the pattern of intent.

[Stellar]

13. The way I see it Bernie wasn't trying drape himself all over Obama...he's a thinking man. nt

[whatchamacallit]

17. That's how I see it too

Give Obama props where he deserves them, but please bring your own ideas for solving our problems to the party.

[Broward]

22. I have little doubt that was the intent

[Stellar]

3. So, I guess you see Obama as a so-so President...

and Sanders would be a great President (and I voted for him). But no one will know just how much Republic0ns would let him get done either. Hillary draped herself all over Obama may fair no better. I guess we will never know or we'll find out.

[whatchamacallit]

5. He's been a better president than many

My problem is having 'I will be Obama' be the test for primary candidates.

[Stellar]

11. That sounds like no one should run for themselves because they couldn't do better than Obama...

and I think that's B.S. I think each candidate should build upon what the last person did and/or make things better, you know. Improve the ACA...get the lead out of the waters, global warming, etc. There's lots more to be done. If the Republic0ns get in, you know they will roll ish backwards. They love living in the past.

[whatchamacallit]

12. We agree

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it. Lord Acton

[tularetom]

8. Hillary Clinton never thought she'd have a primary opponent

She had to strongly identify with the president in order to assure herself the support of black voters in the primary. Wasn't really difficult since Sen Sanders has been a lukewarm supporter of the president at best.

I think Obama will try to keep her from going off the reservation in the general election. Her natural tendency is to assume the minority vote is in the bag and begin to direct her campaign rhetoric towards the white moderate, centrist, independent voter. In doing this, she might even be tempted to begin to disassociate herself from Obama. The president is smart enough to realize this and he will do what he can to ensure that she doesn't go too far.

Or maybe he's just trying to set himself up with a seven figure gig with the Clinton Foundation after he leaves office.

[whatchamacallit]

10. True

and lol to the last sentence.

[snowy owl]

16. A lot of unsupported opinion ...

what evidence do you have that Obama is keeping her on any reservation? And Sanders "lukewarm" supporter - for some things, yes, for others, no...but then he's been about issues and always very, very progressive which is why he decided to run: to give the country a choice between centrist-right and authentic progressive.

Too many unfounded opinions that seem based on a lot of bias. Both candidates are running strategic campaigns because they have to.

[Autumn]

9. We could have republican idiots in the White House for the next 50 years

thought there, and Obama's legacy will remain. Hillary. Bernie or even Michelle Obama if she ever decided to run have nothing to do with Preserving the Obama Legacy. History does that.

[whatchamacallit]

15. Yes

let history preserve the legacy. If any president got it all right, term limits would be a bad thing. The country and world change and governance must evolve.

[Autumn]

18. Can you imagine living in any presidents permanent legacy?

People use preserving Obama's legacy to trash Bernie . Silliness and desperation. You got it right "The country and world change and governance must evolve."
My father used to quote Mark Twain

“Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.”

[whatchamacallit]

19. Awesome quote

[Autumn]

20. Mark Twain was a treasure along with Will Rogers. My father was

quite the fan of both.

Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate; now what's going to happen to us with both a Senate and a House?

Will Rogers.

[whatchamacallit]

21. You had a smart dad

[pdsimdars]

14. I think that was just Hillary's tactic to hug Obama to get the black vote

Now that the southern voting is over, notice how she has started to mention things that she disagrees with him about??
She just USED Obama to gain the sympathy. Now she's done with that.

[uponit7771]

23. Same overtly condescending words that Bernie sander used

[pdsimdars]

24. Well, that's what she did . . . . hug Obama and when the voting was done, now she disagrees with him

you can think whatever you want but those are the simple facts.