Obama’s Legacy Isn’t Doomed Yet

Andrew Sullivan: “Given how volatile our politics is right now – remember the conventional wisdom only six weeks ago? – I wouldn’t jump to conclusions. Except this one: a president can survive a judgment of incompetence in a critical area – like the website clusterfuck. And a president can survive being exposed as a focus-grouped liar on a political promise. But both at once? That could be a fatal combination. And Obama really has no one to blame but himself.”

“This does not mean an indictment of an entire presidency, or even the sign of a failed presidency. In their second terms, Clinton and Reagan were both exposed as liars – in the Lewinsky mess and the more serious Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal. They were deeply wounded by both dramas, but were retroactively deemed successful nonetheless.”