Kentucky Christian University

The presidency of Barack Obama, a first historical assessment, edited by Julian E. Zelizer

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

individual biography

illustrations

index present

non fiction

The presidency of Barack Obama

dictionariesbibliography

1022266210

edited by Julian E. Zelizer

a first historical assessment

Barack Obama's election as the first African American president seemed to usher in a new era, and he took office in 2009 with great expectations. But by his second term, Republicans controlled Congress, and, after the 2016 presidential election, Obama's legacy and the health of the Democratic Party itself appeared in doubt. In The Presidency of Barack Obama, Julian Zelizer gathers leading American historians to put President Obama and his administration into political and historical contextAn original and engaging account of the Obama years from a group of leading political historians Barack Obama's election as the first African American president seemed to usher in a new era, and he took office in 2009 with great expectations. But by his second term, Republicans controlled Congress, and, after the 2016 presidential election, Obama's legacy and the health of the Democratic Party itself appeared in doubt. In The Presidency of Barack Obama, Julian Zelizer gathers leading American historians to put President Obama and his administration into political and historical context. These writers offer strikingly original assessments of the big issues that shaped the Obama years, including the conservative backlash, race, the financial crisis, health care, crime, drugs, counterterrorism, Iraq and Afghanistan, the environment, immigration, education, gay rights, and urban policy. Together, these essays suggest that Obama's central paradox is that, despite effective policymaking, he failed to receive credit for his many achievements and wasn't a party builder. Provocatively, they ask why Obama didn't unite Democrats and progressive activists to fight the conservative counter-tide as it grew stronger. Engaging and deeply informed, The Presidency of Barack Obama is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand Obama and the uncertain aftermath of his presidency. Contributors include Sarah Coleman, Jacob Dlamini, Gary Gerstle, Risa Goluboff, Meg Jacobs, Peniel Joseph, Michael Kazin, Matthew Lassiter, Kathryn Olmsted, Eric Rauchway, Richard Schragger, Paul Starr, Timothy Stewart-Winter, Thomas Sugrue, Jeremi Suri, Julian Zelizer, and Jonathan Zimmerman

Policy revolution without a political transformation: the presidency of Barack Obama / Julian E. Zelizer -- Tea partied: President Obama's encounters with the conservative-industrial complex / Julian E. Zelizer -- Neither a depression nor a New Deal: bailout, stimulus, and the economy / Eric Rauchway -- Achievement without credit: the Obama presidency and inequality / Paul Starr -- Obama's fight against global warming / Meg Jacobs -- Obama's court? / Risa Goluboff and Richard Schragger -- The gay rights President / Timothy Stewart-Winter -- Education in the age of Obama: the paradox of consensus / Jonathan Zimmerman -- Barack Obama and the movement for black lives: race, democracy, and criminal justice in the age of Ferguson / Peniel E. Joseph -- A decent-sized foundation: Obama's urban policy -- "Tough and smart": the resilience of the War on Drugs during the Obama Administration / Matthew D. Lassiter -- A promise unfulfilled, an imperfect legacy: Obama and immigration policy / Sarah R. Coleman -- Liberal internationalism, law, and the first African American president / Jeremy Suri -- Terror tuesdays: how Obama refined Bush's counterterrorism policies / Kathryn Olmsted -- A hyphenated legacy? Obama's Africa policy / Jacob Dlamini -- Criticize and thrive: the American left in the Obama years / Michael Kazin -- Civic ideals, race, and nation in the age of Obama / Gary Gerstle