http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/11210870/Obama-can-still-redeem-his-battered-reputation.htmlObama can still redeem his battered reputation
The American President has been trounced in the midterms but has an opportunity to assert himself internationally
By Telegraph View
6:30AM GMT 06 Nov 2014
The US midterms, which have seen the Republicans finally achieve their goal of a majority in the Senate, will have a familiar ring for President Barack Obama. Bill Clinton, his Democrat predecessor in the White House, spent most of his second term hampered by the Republicans’ undisputed control of both houses of Congress. Mr Obama now faces the bleak prospect of having to see out the remainder of his presidency facing the implacable hostility of his opponents.
While Democrats will point to the fact that the party that controls the White House has only gained seats in midterm elections three times since 1862, the scale of the defeat will inevitably strengthen the perception of an increasingly isolated and unpopular president who is out of touch with American public opinion. Not only will Republicans enjoy a majority in both houses: they also outperformed the Democrats in most of the 36 governors’ races, clinching victories in Democratic strongholds such as Massachusetts, Maryland and even Mr Obama’s own home state of Illinois.
While the result will be a big disappointment for Mr Obama, who was swept into the White House six years ago on a wave of popularity, it will not have come as a surprise to a president whose approval ratings are so low that some Democrat candidates actively sought to distance themselves from his policies. It should also be a cause for concern for Hillary Clinton as she weighs up her bid for the Democratic nomination for the 2016 presidential contest.
So far as Mr Obama is concerned, though, the challenge now is for him to decide how best to channel his efforts for the remainder of his tenure at the White House. By this stage in the electoral cycle, most presidents have one eye on their legacy. Mr Obama may feel that his controversial health care reforms, together with his unique claim to be the first black occupant of the White House, are sufficient to secure his place in the pantheon of memorable American presidents. But there are other ways in which Mr Obama can make a positive contribution during the rest of his presidency, not least in the realm of foreign affairs. To date, he has often been a reluctant leader on the world stage, preferring to adopt a policy of “leadership from behind”. But with so many critical issues dominating the international agenda, from the threat posed by Isil to Russia’s resurgent nationalism and freeing up world trade, there has never been a better time for an American president to display courageous and effective leadership. That way Mr Obama will be remembered as a politician who really did make a difference.
