"President Obama could not have foreseen the economic collapse as President Bush could not have foreseen the attacks on 9/11. Both of these events would impact any political agenda

Are you kidding? The housing bubble started popping about 3 years ago and the economic collapse began before the primaries even started. Obama knew exactly what he would be facing when he ran for President. He said that he could handle it. He said that he would be bringing new ideas and people to Washington who would fix everything.

We're all frustrated by what we believe are broken promises but, on the campaign trail, it's impossible to make promises. President Obama could not have foreseen the economic collapse as President Bush could not have foreseen the attacks on 9/11. Both of these events would impact any political agenda.

It would be useful for us to think of campaigning statements as the candidate's vision as opposed to a promise. A vision would represent a candidate's viewpoint on issues and his/her desire as to how to address these topics, but "vision" would not raise the unrealistic expectations that a candidate or elected official has "control". They don't.

As someone else mentioned, President Obama is not superman, he is human. He has strengths and weaknesses. I'm disappointed by some of his early decisions, but it's early in his term and I choose to emphasize the positive. Regardless of his ability to execute some of his "vision", I admire his ability to represent America's desires to be peaceful and work with other nations. His great strength is his ability to give an inspiring speech. I admire him for that gift.

I was a fan reading your work in Open Salon, but this article smacks of "digging for a storyline" and "any port in a storm"...

I agree with dhampton 1000: "I suspect you have never heard of the actuality of circumstances and situations changing a person’s perspective on a particular matter".

I tend to agree with the oervall assessment that Pres. Obama could not possibly have completed the task of executing all of his campaign promises by now. I see a plan, however, and I am satisfied to wait for it to unfold. I have no real reason to criticize him. Even working 24/7 he cannot yet work a miracle to make things happen faster than they can be imagined and created within our reality. I have no onus to criticize the President, however, as I am not under a deadline to produce and publish as you seem to be at this time...

Apparently, you have embraced the American "Fast Food" Mentality for your journalistic perspective? I confess to expecting better analysis from you than exhibited within this article...

I am used to politicians failing to come through on their promises.

I am NOT used to policitians flipping directly to the position they campaigned against once elected.

He campaigned against Bush's rendition practices then once elected continues them.

He campaigned against the legal blackhole that is Gitmo but once elected has his DOJ fighting for exactly the same power to create legal blackholes only this time at Bahgram instead of Gitmo. As if the site makes a difference.

He campaigned against torture yet his executive order still left room for "enhanced interrogation techniques" and we continue to outsource our torture to other countries. (not to mention reports keep surfacing that abuse is still going on anyway)

He campaigned as a champion of the middlclass with very populist rhetoric but since being elected his economic policies, inparticular in regards to the bailouts, have been Bush 2.0. You cant even tell the difference between were Paulson policies left off and Geithner policies began because they are the same.

And the public in general has either stopped paying attention, content to just blindly trust Obama, a politician, or even worse, aggressively defend these same bush policies they used to oppose because they are now Obama's policies.

The last presidential election was the biggest bait and switch I have ever witnessed following politics.

Its not just that he breaks promises. He replaces what he promised with the very policies he campaigned against.

@rainbow swastika, your statements regarding your hatred of Jewish people is becoming quite annoying -- to say the least. You continually suggest that they be eradicated. Just what are you suggesting? I think you are a sad, ignorant and disgusting human being who is in serious need of psyhicatric help!!

@rainbow swastika, Please produce evidence that Glen Greenwald is "by his own admission" a right-wing libertarian and that his mentor is Pat Buchanan as you state.

Obama was far from a "progressive" from the very beginning. Too many leftists let the "first black president" (actually a mulatto raised by white relatives)mystique blind them to the obvious.

Of course Obama was going to break promises. I knew that the day he picked joe biden for vp. Can't think of any democrat who beat the drums more to invade Iraq then biden. Maybe Liberman, but he is no longer a democrat.

Than to pick hillary for state. Give me a break. If anyone should have known about Iraq so-called weapons, it was the wife of the former president. Took a lot of courage for her to see that the polls at the time favored the war, vote for it, then claim bush mis-led everyone.

But many voters were attracted to change less in specific policies than in change of parties. Obama was not going to be beholden to the Republican base to which John McCain would have been forced to kowtow.

My Dad, for example, usually votes Republican. But he felt the GOP had been in power too long and lost their way. Plus, John McCain had walked out on his wife and children. I have long argued for separating private and public morality, but I respect his right to arrive at his own decision based on criteria that are different from mine. Not to mention, it meant he would vote for Obama so it certainly wasn't in my interest to pursue the matter.

I'm satisfied Obama's taking the country in the right direction mindful of the obstacles he's up against.