Oh, hey, look. The media is noticing that President Obama has had a good month-plus, despite the horrors of early November.
Chuck Todd et al at First Read describe him as "an active-duck president" and continue:
Despite the controversy and gridlock, however, Obama is getting stuff done. And he's got other good news to tout (321,000 jobs created in November, enrollment on HealthCare.Gov has reached nearly 2.5 million). Now it remains to be seen how long this lasts or just how popular Obama's actions will ultimately be. But one thing is for sure: No one can say the president isn't relevant.
Politico:
Obama feels liberated, aides say, and sees the recent flurry of aggressive executive action and deal-making as a pivot for him to spend his final two years in office being more the president he always wanted to be.
As of Wednesday, that includes doing what 50-plus years of predecessors couldn’t do in relations with Cuba, propelling a generational shift in American foreign policy that could bring down a final remaining pillar of the Cold War. The Cuba announcement follows a post-Election Day sprint that included sealing a landmark climate agreement with China, shielding 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation, and reaching a deal that funds most of the government for nearly a year while protecting Obamacare and other top priorities.
In addition to Cuba, Obamacare, the climate agreement with China, and immigration,
Kevin Drum points to net neutrality and Russia policy as notable recent high points for Obama. Obama has finally come out fighting—on more than one issue—and it's working for him. More of this, please. (Except for the whipping-for-Wall-Street-bailouts part.)
Barack
