I'm not sure that anyone noticed, but President Obama was recently down here for a brief 'thanks a bunch' tour.
Given the almost hysterical 'pop star' feting he got from our media, and from politicians and commentariate from both sides he would be elected unopposed should he decide to take out Australian citizenry and run for office.
Given the paucity of our current leadership, that wouldn't be such a bad thing.
From this distance, he seems to be in a no-win situation. The right keep blaming him for the stuffed up (or deliberate scorched earth) policies of the previous less than stellar President and administration. His message of change and hope pre election set the bar way too high. He gave the impression that by electing him, some sort of magic wand would suddenly appear for him to use to wipe away 30+ years of mal administration of the US economy. Obviously that was never going to happen in one term. The bloody minded intransigence of the GOP in refusing to co-operate with the much needed reforms exacerbate the situation. It is almost Treasonous. The advantages of short term personal and political gain seem (from this distance) to have been put before the National interest. There is nothing Obama can do about that.
Forgive me for commentating from without, rather than within but - While ever there is a deeply held belief by powerful commentators that 'trickle down' Reaganomics is a valid, useful economic policy the USA will never recover from the current malaise. Something more akin to Roosevelts' New Deal needs to be undertaken to put the populace back to work and re-establish pride and the dignity of labour. Poor President Obama does not have the political capital or firepower to pull off such reforms.