Obama Still Aims to Emulate Him

His speech in Berlin is rather ordinary

(NEWSER) - Make no mistake, Barack Obama gave a fine speech in Berlin today, writes Shane Danielsen in the Guardian. But any comparisons to JFK can stop right there. His speech hit all the right notes but shaded more toward the ordinary than the memorable. The mood of the mostly young crowd "never quite tipped into hsyteria," says Danielsen, who notes that Obama is known for feeding off his audience. "Still, most people left happy." More»

Kornacki: Conservative whitewashing obscures Gipper's real legacy

(NEWSER) - Republicans sometimes bristle at the comparisons between Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama because of their midterm troubles. A favorite conservative theme about Reagan is that the "love fest" between him and the American people continued during and after his presidency, writes Steve Kornacki at Salon , who singles out this piece as an example. He says it's time for a reality check. More»

George W. Bush, meanwhile, finishes not quite last

(NEWSER) - Two years in, Barack Obama looks like a pretty good president to the nation’s top presidential scholars. The 44th president came in 15th on the all-time list, two spots behind Bill Clinton and three ahead of Ronald Reagan, in a Siena College Research Institute Poll, the New York Daily News reports. Obama got high marks for his intelligence, imagination and communication skills, but lost points for his experience and—what's this? "Family background"? More»

Joe Biden will go down in history with these other respected figures

(NEWSER) - Quite a big deal has been made over Joe Biden dropping the F-bomb . “But America has a long and honorable tradition of top elected officials using salty language,” writes John Dickerson on Slate . Allow him to educate you:

• Barack Obama: Famously called Kanye West a “jackass.”
• Joe Biden: Oh no, this wasn’t his first time. After being greeted by a former colleague as “Mr. Vice President,” he responded, “Give me a fucking break.”

Marks biggest assault on wealth inequality since the '80s

(NEWSER) - The health care reform bill was the government’s biggest attack on economic inequality in more than 30 years, a period of time that’s seen government policy and market forces consistently push the opposite direction. That’s why Barack Obama fought so hard for it, writes David Leonhardt for the New York Times . “Beyond the health reform’s effect on the medical system, it is the centerpiece of his deliberate effort to end the age of Reagan.” More»