Audacity: How Barack Obama Defied His Critics and Created a Legacy That Will Prevail - Paperback

by Jonathan Chait (Author)

"An essential starting point for those assessing the Obama presidency." --Washington Monthly

Two presidencies later, the time has never been better to revisit the legacy of Barack Obama. In Audacity, New York Magazine writer Jonathan Chait makes the unassailable case that, in the eyes of history, Obama will be viewed as one of America's best and most accomplished presidents.

Over the course of eight years, Barack Obama has amassed an array of outstanding achievements. His administration saved the American economy from collapse, expanded health insurance to millions who previously could not afford it, negotiated an historic nuclear deal with Iran, helped craft a groundbreaking international climate accord, reined in Wall Street and crafted a new vision of racial progress. He has done all of this despite a left that frequently disdained him as a sellout, and a hysterical right that did everything possible to destroy his agenda even when they agreed with what he was doing.

Now, as the page turns to our next Commander in Chief, Jonathan Chait, acclaimed as one of the most incisive and meticulous political commentators in America, digs deep into Obama's record on major policy fronts--economics, the environment, domestic reform, health care, race, foreign policy, and civil rights--to demonstrate why history will judge our forty-fourth president as among the greatest in history.

Audacity does not shy away from Obama's failures, most notably in foreign policy. Yet Chait convincingly shows that President Obama has accomplished what candidate Obama said he would, despite overwhelming opposition--and that the hopes of those who voted for him have not been dashed despite the smokescreen of extremist propaganda and the limits of short-term perspective.

Front Jacket

An unassailable case that, in the eyes of history, Barack Obama will be viewed as one of America's best and most accomplished presidents.

Over the course of eight years, Barack Obama's administration saved the American economy from collapse, expanded health insurance to millions, negotiated an unprecedented nuclear deal with Iran, helped craft a groundbreaking international climate accord, reined in Wall Street, reformed our education system, and formulated a new vision of racial -progress. He has done all of this despite a left that frequently disdained him as a sellout, and a right that did everything possible to -destroy his agenda.

Now, as the page turns to possibly the most dangerous commander in chief in our history, Jonathan Chait, one of America's most incisive and meticulous political commentators, digs deep into Obama's record on major policy fronts to demonstrate why history will judge our forty-fourth president as among our greatest. Chait explains why so many observers missed the enormous evidence of progress and reveals why Obama's accomplishments will last despite the reactionary effort by Donald Trump and the Republicans to extinguish them. And in its resounding defense of Obama's tenure, Audacity both makes clear his victories, and what we need to fight for next.

Back Jacket

An unassailable case that, in the eyes of history, Barack Obama will be viewed as one of America's best and most accomplished presidents.

Over the course of eight years, Barack Obama's administration saved the American economy from collapse, expanded health insurance to millions, negotiated an unprecedented nuclear deal with Iran, helped craft a groundbreaking international climate accord, reined in Wall Street, reformed our education system, and formulated a new vision of racial -progress. He has done all of this despite a left that frequently disdained him as a sellout, and a right that did everything possible to -destroy his agenda.

Now, as the page turns to possibly the most dangerous commander in chief in our history, Jonathan Chait, one of America's most incisive and meticulous political commentators, digs deep into Obama's record on major policy fronts to demonstrate why history will judge our forty-fourth president as among our greatest. Chait explains why so many observers missed the enormous evidence of progress and reveals why Obama's accomplishments will last despite the reactionary effort by Donald Trump and the Republicans to extinguish them. And in its resounding defense of Obama's tenure, Audacity both makes clear his victories, and what we need to fight for next.