Obama's legacy: President will leave office with mixed accomplishments

Barack Obama will soon leave the office of president, and his legacy as the first black to hold the nation's highest post will be defined as much by what he did not accomplish as what he did.

Obama's place in the pantheon of U.S. presidents will eventually be defined by history. But as he prepares to vacate the White House after eight years, some of his legacy is already apparent.

He was a largely a success on the home front. The American economy flourished under his watch, and he was able to get his universal health care program put into place, at least for the time being. And whatever health care program eventually becomes permanent will bear the imprint of his Affordable Care Act.

But Obama was a failure at international politics, and he will leave office with America's place on the world stage greatly diminished. The United States no longer carries the clout it once did in international circles, and the blame can be laid squarely on the shoulders of his administration.

When Obama was first elected, his message was defined by the word hope. For millions of Americans that hope was realized, but for millions of others it was tempered by his stance on other issues.

All in all, Obama will be remembered as the man who broke the color barrier. Only time will tell if the mark he made on the Oval Office stands up to deeper scrutiny.

Published in Editorials on December 30, 2016 10:01 AM