Contrary to Ted Sorenson’s hagiography, it’s wayyy too early to pronounce that he’s going to be one of the greatest presidents ever.
Here’s my look:
• Stimulus bill? A B grade. Agreed with Krugman that it could have been higher, especially if he had started with a higher starting point, and if he had gotten Congressional Dems to get their act together.
• TARP, etc? D to D-minus. It’s too early to flunk him in this class, but his first quarter’s grade is poor, and all self-inflicted.
• Torture, the memos? A-minus. Not quite an A, due to some backstory info.
• Torture, the investigation? F. No other grade is possible.
• Foreign relations, most of world? B-plus so far. Maybe edging toward A-minus.
• Foreign relations, Israel and Middle East? C-minus. He’s already gotten rolled once by the Israel lobby.
• Foreign relations, military areas? C-minus. He gets an incomplete, penciled in as a C, for Iraq withdrawal plan and caveats. He gets a D for Afghanistan. More troops, unless it’s twice as many as the Soviet Union, ain’t the answer.
• Civil liberties? Grading on a curve of where a constitutional law prof should be, he gets an F. State secrets, and telco immunity.
• Gay rights? C-minus. He’s done some symbolic gestures, as the story notes, but he already let Secretary of Defense Robert Gates back him away from overturning “don’t ask, don’t tell.” And, his administration was 100 percent silent on the ephochal action of Vermont OK gay marriage by legislative action and not judicial ruling. (Maybe he should be at D-plus.)
• Cabinet? D-plus. Geither gets an F. The Daschle fiasco was just that. And, the proliferation of extraconstitutional czars is worrisome.
Overall grade? To riff on our previous president’s collegiate career, a “gentleman’s C.”
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