Are we overestimating Obama?

[Rowan]

Well?

[YRABNNRM]

Yes (Obama voter)

[You kip if you want to...]

Probably, but I still think 2012 is Obama's to lose at the moment.

[pogo stick]

Yes. Yes and again YES

[Vasall des Midas]

Some of us. Thank God we're overestimating the lead Republicans as well.

[Grad Students are the Worst]

I'm currently inclined to think that we're overestimating everyone except for maybe Huckabee.

[pbrower2a]

He faces the greatest peacetime challenges that any President has faced since FDR did in 1933. He has reversed almost all of the Dubya-era follies (biggest exceptions: we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan). He has forced the other Party in Congress to put up or shut up; many in it chose to reject his policies lock, stock, and barrel and they don't yet look good for doing so. His diplomacy has been far more successful than that of Dubya.

We have yet to see how the economy will be in 2012. He will get away with steady improvement at a lower level than we knew in the real estate boom of about three years ago much as FDR did in the 1930s. We will have patience for slow, steady economic growth as people earn their bread the old-fashioned way and get paid fairly (if not opulently) for it.  (The old-fashioned way? Sure. Formation of small businesses, a renewed emphasis on manufacturing, and the rebuilding of infrastructure will solve many problems, among them those of equity.

[Rowan]

His diplomacy has been far more successful than that of Dubya.

Of course, because of the unilateral disarmament of North Korea and Iran right?

[Devilman88]

He faces the greatest peacetime challenges that any President has faced since FDR did in 1933. He has reversed almost all of the Dubya-era follies (biggest exceptions: we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan). He has forced the other Party in Congress to put up or shut up; many in it chose to reject his policies lock, stock, and barrel and they don't yet look good for doing so. His diplomacy has been far more successful than that of Dubya.

We have yet to see how the economy will be in 2012. He will get away with steady improvement at a lower level than we knew in the real estate boom of about three years ago much as FDR did in the 1930s. We will have patience for slow, steady economic growth as people earn their bread the old-fashioned way and get paid fairly (if not opulently) for it.  (The old-fashioned way? Sure. Formation of small businesses, a renewed emphasis on manufacturing, and the rebuilding of infrastructure will solve many problems, among them those of equity.

Do you not know we are still at War?

[pbrower2a]

His diplomacy has been far more successful than that of Dubya.

Of course, because of the unilateral disarmament of North Korea and Iran right?

At which, of course, Dubya was an absolute and unqualified failure.

[pbrower2a]

He faces the greatest peacetime challenges that any President has faced since FDR did in 1933. He has reversed almost all of the Dubya-era follies (biggest exceptions: we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan). He has forced the other Party in Congress to put up or shut up; many in it chose to reject his policies lock, stock, and barrel and they don't yet look good for doing so. His diplomacy has been far more successful than that of Dubya.

We have yet to see how the economy will be in 2012. He will get away with steady improvement at a lower level than we knew in the real estate boom of about three years ago much as FDR did in the 1930s. We will have patience for slow, steady economic growth as people earn their bread the old-fashioned way and get paid fairly (if not opulently) for it.  (The old-fashioned way? Sure. Formation of small businesses, a renewed emphasis on manufacturing, and the rebuilding of infrastructure will solve many problems, among them those of equity.

Do you not know we are still at War?

We are trying to get out of those two morasses that Dubya got us into and badly mishandled, yes.  If we get graceful exits, perhaps with the aid of  Russia and China... that's an Eisenhower achievement.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

I'm currently inclined to think that we're overestimating everyone except for maybe Huckabee.

This.

[Vepres]

He faces the greatest peacetime challenges that any President has faced since FDR did in 1933. He has reversed almost all of the Dubya-era follies (biggest exceptions: we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan). He has forced the other Party in Congress to put up or shut up; many in it chose to reject his policies lock, stock, and barrel and they don't yet look good for doing so. His diplomacy has been far more successful than that of Dubya.

We have yet to see how the economy will be in 2012. He will get away with steady improvement at a lower level than we knew in the real estate boom of about three years ago much as FDR did in the 1930s. We will have patience for slow, steady economic growth as people earn their bread the old-fashioned way and get paid fairly (if not opulently) for it.  (The old-fashioned way? Sure. Formation of small businesses, a renewed emphasis on manufacturing, and the rebuilding of infrastructure will solve many problems, among them those of equity.

We are developed, post-industrial nation and as such we have a service, or as I like to call it, ideas/engineering based economy. America's manufacturing days are gone and won't be back in a long time, if ever.

[War on Want]

Not as much as you are overestimating your Republican candidates right now.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

Yes

[pbrower2a]

He faces the greatest peacetime challenges that any President has faced since FDR did in 1933. He has reversed almost all of the Dubya-era follies (biggest exceptions: we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan). He has forced the other Party in Congress to put up or shut up; many in it chose to reject his policies lock, stock, and barrel and they don't yet look good for doing so. His diplomacy has been far more successful than that of Dubya.

We have yet to see how the economy will be in 2012. He will get away with steady improvement at a lower level than we knew in the real estate boom of about three years ago much as FDR did in the 1930s. We will have patience for slow, steady economic growth as people earn their bread the old-fashioned way and get paid fairly (if not opulently) for it.  (The old-fashioned way? Sure. Formation of small businesses, a renewed emphasis on manufacturing, and the rebuilding of infrastructure will solve many problems, among them those of equity.

We are developed, post-industrial nation and as such we have a service, or as I like to call it, ideas/engineering based economy. America's manufacturing days are gone and won't be back in a long time, if ever.

It seems that we are reverting to a farming, ranching, and logging economy. As for services -- we have gone as far as we can with hamburger-flipping. The sham prosperity that we got from real-estate speculation and subprime lending has failed.

[Communists For McCain]

Obama seems to be suffering from the Messiah effect. Occasionally a president elect gets a ton of momentum in their first few months of office based on high expectations. If they fail (or are perceived as failed) (Hoover, Carter), they become joke fodder for the next over 9000 years. If they're successful (or are perceived as successful) (FDR, Reagan), they will be hailed forever as their party's messiah.

The point: It's a little to early to either overestimate or underestimate Obama. At this point it's impossible to determine whether he is Jesus or the anti-christ coming to rape our churches and burn our women. Yes, I do find the people who act like now that he is in office America will suddenly become this place with infinite rainbows, unicorns, and world peace will suddenly be a reality very annoying; but so do I find people who are already writing this guy off as the "wurs prezidunt evar, he's a hiddun socalist basturd who's bent on destroyun Muricah" crowd!

Right now, it's impossible to determine anything. Obama may be the greatest thing since sliced bread right now, but three years from now June 15, 2012 he might be the worst thing since George W. Bush. You can't say for certain whether or not somebody was overestimated or underestimated until near the end of their first or (if they get reelected) second term in office.

[Grad Students are the Worst]

I'm currently inclined to think that we're overestimating everyone except for maybe Huckabee.

This.

And I'm sure you can share "our" reason why, right?

[Rowan]

Not as much as you are overestimating your Republican candidates right now.

No I think they suck.

[Senator Robert A. Taft]

I think it's difficult to overestimate Obama, at the moment.  His approvals are high, he jsut ran a very good campaign, and the Republican field is weak at best.

[Vepres]

He faces the greatest peacetime challenges that any President has faced since FDR did in 1933. He has reversed almost all of the Dubya-era follies (biggest exceptions: we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan). He has forced the other Party in Congress to put up or shut up; many in it chose to reject his policies lock, stock, and barrel and they don't yet look good for doing so. His diplomacy has been far more successful than that of Dubya.

We have yet to see how the economy will be in 2012. He will get away with steady improvement at a lower level than we knew in the real estate boom of about three years ago much as FDR did in the 1930s. We will have patience for slow, steady economic growth as people earn their bread the old-fashioned way and get paid fairly (if not opulently) for it.  (The old-fashioned way? Sure. Formation of small businesses, a renewed emphasis on manufacturing, and the rebuilding of infrastructure will solve many problems, among them those of equity.

We are developed, post-industrial nation and as such we have a service, or as I like to call it, ideas/engineering based economy. America's manufacturing days are gone and won't be back in a long time, if ever.

It seems that we are reverting to a farming, ranching, and logging economy. As for services -- we have gone as far as we can with hamburger-flipping. The sham prosperity that we got from real-estate speculation and subprime lending has failed.

[Prez Duke]

AS of now it isn't far fetched to assume he'll be reelected. It is far fetched to assume the nation will recover smoothly between now and 2012. I predict we'll see more bumps in the road before things get better.

[Wiz from Wis in Mass]

Yes, but then again, we would probably have overestimated FDR in 1933 and Ronald Reagan in 1981. It still worked out pretty well for them. Course, LBJ looked unbeatable in 1965 so, I'm gonna shut up.

[pogo stick]

How about this :

We are overestimating all the republicans andddd Obama?

[The Mikado]

Yes, some of the people on this site (and elsewhere) are.

Nothing makes me more annoyed than people saying that 2012 is in the bag before the Obama Administration has a real track record.  Predicting that this recovery will stay firm and that we won't have a double-dip, that the Administration's foreign policy will be stable, that the health care situation won't turn into a hideous debacle, etc. is all well and good, but banking on those is just plain arrogant.  Hell, assuming that the public won't grow weary of Obama himself is pretty damn arrogant.  Much of his appeal has been built on freshness.  Familiarity builds contempt.

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
-Proverbs 27:1

King Solomon knew what he was talking about.  Don't take things for granted.