‘Obama Finally Starts to Sweat’

“President Barack Obama finally starts to sweat,” the American magazine Politico said Sunday. “Obama, who did not lose his coolness and calmness despite his little political experience and his young age, finally starts to sweat due to daunting challenges at both home and abroad.”

Obama’s popularity is falling due to lack of tangible achievements in his administration. He has spoken on major issues but has yet to bear fruit. He tackled the worst U.S. economic crisis since the Second World War by passing a stimulus package worth 787 billion dollars along with financial stability measures. Yet rising unemployment and snowballing financial deficits are giving him sleepless nights.

His ambitious plan for health care reform has also proven shaky from the beginning. According to his timetable, the plan was supposed to be proposed to Senate and House committees before the congressional August recess, and a new system was set to start in October. Republicans have opposed the plan, however, fearing burgeoning financial deficits and even Democrats have joined the opposition.

Public opinion of the president is also changing. The Washington Post and ABC News in a July 15-18 phone survey found that 49 percent favored Obama’s policy on health care reform while 44 percent opposed. Fifty-seven percent had backed his policy in April.

The Washington Post said the non-political class is turning their backs on him. On the 100th day of his inauguration, 53 percent of the non-political class approved of his performance while 30 percent opposed, but the latest survey showed lower approval of 44 percent and higher opposition of 49 percent.

Another issue is a climate change agreement on greenhouse gas reduction. Though the U.S. is hurriedly legislating laws to reduce CO2 emissions to make up for the relatively passive stance of the previous administration, voices opposing the move are growing over fears of hurting industries.

Worse, the Taliban is seeing a resurgence on the Afghan-Pakistan border. North Korea and Iran have also rejected President Obama’s olive branch.

Politico said, “Now the honeymoon is over. Now is the time to prove the real change and reform with visible achievements.”

triplets@donga.com