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| Barack Obama's 100-day report card | Barack Obama's 100-day report card |
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| US President Barack Obama will soon have completed 100 days in office - a traditional moment for taking stock of progress. | US President Barack Obama will soon have completed 100 days in office - a traditional moment for taking stock of progress. |
| Here we attempt to assess how has he done, measured against his own pre-election pledges and goals. | Here we attempt to assess how has he done, measured against his own pre-election pledges and goals. |
| A BBC summary of developments is followed by a comment and scores out of five from Prof Iwan Morgan of London University's Institute for the Study of the Americas. One star indicates a poor performance, five stars an excellent one. | A BBC summary of developments is followed by a comment and scores out of five from Prof Iwan Morgan of London University's Institute for the Study of the Americas. One star indicates a poor performance, five stars an excellent one. |
| Please tell us what scores you would give President Obama using the postform below. | Please tell us what scores you would give President Obama using the postform below. |
Obama's 100 days: Report Card | Obama's 100 days: Report Card |
Iwan Morgan: Good start on the fiscal stimulus but less sure-footed when it came to revitalising the financial system. **** Climate change Mr Obama appears to be delivering on a promise to make climate change a priority. The stimulus plan includes $23bn for renewable energy and Mr Obama is backing a draft Democratic-led energy bill designed to slash greenhouse gas emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency has already decided to regulate CO2 emissions, in a major shift from the Bush era. But big battles lie ahead with industry and political opponents. Iwan Morgan: The bar was set low after George Bush but Obama has got off to a good start. **** Healthcare Mr Obama pledged to reduce health insurance costs while offering a new affordable public plan for some 46m Americans who do not have cover. He signalled his determination by nominating Tom Daschle as health secretary. But Daschle was forced to withdraw in a row over unpaid taxes, and Mr Obama's next nominee has not yet been confirmed, so the president remains at first base. Iwan Morgan: Three stars is a generous score, largely for intent, but the White House has been largely silent on the issue of healthcare entitlement reform (essential for control of long-term public debt). *** Building a team The new president lost two cabinet nominees to tax scandals and another turned down the job. But two key appointments - Hillary Clinton at the State Department and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner - hit the ground running. Iwan Morgan: Obama has put in place good teams for national security and economic policy - though there are concerns about competing lines of authority in each area. It is also a concern that the Treasury, a key department, has still not had appointments made to key posts immediately below the Secretary. The Daschle affair was also a significant embarrassment. *** Guantanamo Mr Obama promised to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp quickly. Within days of taking office, he signed an order demanding closure "as soon as practicable". Dozens of detainees have been cleared for release. But the administration faces big legal and diplomatic hurdles as it deals with the remaining 245 men held. Iwan Morgan: As good as can be expected in the first 100 days. ***** Torture Mr Obama stated his opposition to the harsh interrogation methods of the post-9/11 Bush era - such as sleep deprivation and water-boarding - in his inaugural address. He was quick to ban them, and released memos detailing how they were used under the Bush administration. He has absolved CIA interrogators, but officials who approved the techniques may yet be prosecuted. Iwan Morgan: As above - as good as can be expected in the first 100 days. ***** Afghanistan Mr Obama promised to step up the battle against the Taleban, and has sent an extra 17,000 troops to join the 38,000 already there. He has also proposed a big spending programme on infrastructure projects, and pledged 4,000 troops to train Afghan security forces. But his efforts to persuade European Nato allies to shoulder more of the burden have yet to bear much fruit. Iwan Morgan: It is difficult to score this one more positively because of setbacks in the area. *** Iraq Mr Obama promised the withdrawal of most US troops by the end of May 2010. That timetable slipped just a little when he took office - he now says the US "combat mission" will officially end by August 2010, with up to 50,000 of 142,000 troops now there staying until the end of 2011 to advise Iraqi forces and protect US interests. Iwan Morgan: Obama scores well for reassessing US priorities but the timelines are likely to slip further. **** Iran Mr Obama promised to engage with Iran and - possibly - to meet its president. A shift in tone was immediately clear: he talked of extending a hand if Iran "unclenched its fist", and sent a video message to the people of Iran offering a "new beginning". The US will now play a full part in international talks with Iran over its nuclear programme. But Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made clear that if dialogue fails, the US will seek tougher sanctions. No results so far. Iwan Morgan: This score is for good intent, but little actually achieved as yet. **** Middle East Mr Obama promised that peace in the Middle East would be a top foreign policy aim "from day one". Israeli, Egyptian and Palestinian leaders have been invited to the White House for peace talks; seasoned negotiator George Mitchell has been appointed envoy to the Middle East; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the region herself. US officials have also made diplomatic overtures to Syria, long out in the cold. Iwan Morgan: The US has not done enough to appear an honest broker between Israel and the Palestinians. ** Arms control Mr Obama has outlined an ambitious vision of a world free of nuclear weapons. He has called for a global summit on nuclear security, and pledged to reduce the US nuclear stockpile. He and his Russian counterpart have agreed to seek a new arms control treaty. Mr Obama has already stopped funding for a new US nuclear warhead. But he has made clear that the US will keep its arsenal while others have one. Iwan Morgan: Again this score reflects words rather than deeds. **** Bipartisanship Mr Obama made a lofty pledge to bridge the bitter partisan divide in Washington, but has only Iwan Morgan: US politics is more polarised than at the comparable stage of the Bush presidency - though this is not necessarily Barack Obama's fault. * | Issue Summary Score Economy Mr Obama threw himself into the task of rescuing the stricken economy, drawing up a $787bn economic stimulus plan, bailing out banks and offering help to struggling homeowners. But will it work? The Congressional Budget Office says the stimulus package should reduce the severity of the recession. But critics say it is too costly, contains too few tax cuts, is too slow to direct money where needed, will not create jobs quickly enough and will pile up future debt. Iwan Morgan: Good start on the fiscal stimulus but less sure-footed when it came to revitalising the financial system. **** Climate change Mr Obama appears to be delivering on a promise to make climate change a priority. The stimulus plan includes $23bn for renewable energy and Mr Obama is backing a draft Democratic-led energy bill designed to slash greenhouse gas emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency has already decided to regulate CO2 emissions, in a major shift from the Bush era. But big battles lie ahead with industry and political opponents. Iwan Morgan: The bar was set low after George Bush but Obama has got off to a good start. **** Healthcare Mr Obama pledged to reduce health insurance costs while offering a new affordable public plan for some 46m Americans who do not have cover. He signalled his determination by nominating Tom Daschle as health secretary. But Daschle was forced to withdraw in a row over unpaid taxes, and Mr Obama's next nominee has not yet been confirmed, so the president remains at first base. Iwan Morgan: Three stars is a generous score, largely for intent, but the White House has been largely silent on the issue of healthcare entitlement reform (essential for control of long-term public debt). *** Building a team The new president lost two cabinet nominees to tax scandals and another turned down the job. But two key appointments - Hillary Clinton at the State Department and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner - hit the ground running. Iwan Morgan: Obama has put in place good teams for national security and economic policy - though there are concerns about competing lines of authority in each area. It is also a concern that the Treasury, a key department, has still not had appointments made to key posts immediately below the Secretary. The Daschle affair was also a significant embarrassment. *** Guantanamo Mr Obama promised to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp quickly. Within days of taking office, he signed an order demanding closure "as soon as practicable". Dozens of detainees have been cleared for release. But the administration faces big legal and diplomatic hurdles as it deals with the remaining 245 men held. Iwan Morgan: As good as can be expected in the first 100 days. ***** Torture Mr Obama stated his opposition to the harsh interrogation methods of the post-9/11 Bush era - such as sleep deprivation and water-boarding - in his inaugural address. He was quick to ban them, and released memos detailing how they were used under the Bush administration. He has absolved CIA interrogators, but officials who approved the techniques may yet be prosecuted. Iwan Morgan: As above - as good as can be expected in the first 100 days. ***** Afghanistan Mr Obama promised to step up the battle against the Taleban, and has sent an extra 17,000 troops to join the 38,000 already there. He has also proposed a big spending programme on infrastructure projects, and pledged 4,000 troops to train Afghan security forces. But his efforts to persuade European Nato allies to shoulder more of the burden have yet to bear much fruit. Iwan Morgan: It is difficult to score this one more positively because of setbacks in the area. *** Iraq Mr Obama promised the withdrawal of most US troops by the end of May 2010. That timetable slipped just a little when he took office - he now says the US "combat mission" will officially end by August 2010, with up to 50,000 of 142,000 troops now there staying until the end of 2011 to advise Iraqi forces and protect US interests. Iwan Morgan: Obama scores well for reassessing US priorities but the timelines are likely to slip further. **** Iran Mr Obama promised to engage with Iran and - possibly - to meet its president. A shift in tone was immediately clear: he talked of extending a hand if Iran "unclenched its fist", and sent a video message to the people of Iran offering a "new beginning". The US will now play a full part in international talks with Iran over its nuclear programme. But Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made clear that if dialogue fails, the US will seek tougher sanctions. No results so far. Iwan Morgan: This score is for good intent, but little actually achieved as yet. **** Middle East Mr Obama promised that peace in the Middle East would be a top foreign policy aim "from day one". Israeli, Egyptian and Palestinian leaders have been invited to the White House for peace talks; seasoned negotiator George Mitchell has been appointed envoy to the Middle East; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the region herself. US officials have also made diplomatic overtures to Syria, long out in the cold. Iwan Morgan: The US has not done enough to appear an honest broker between Israel and the Palestinians. ** Arms control Mr Obama has outlined an ambitious vision of a world free of nuclear weapons. He has called for a global summit on nuclear security, and pledged to reduce the US nuclear stockpile. He and his Russian counterpart have agreed to seek a new arms control treaty. Mr Obama has already stopped funding for a new US nuclear warhead. But he has made clear that the US will keep its arsenal while others have one. Iwan Morgan: Again this score reflects words rather than deeds. **** Bipartisanship Mr Obama made a lofty pledge to bridge the bitter partisan divide in Washington, but has only two Republicans in his cabinet. His Republican nominee for the post of commerce secretary refused the job, citing "policy differences". Republicans argue that Mr Obama's choice of Rahm Emanuel as chief of staff - a man they regard as "highly partisan" - was unhelpful. Whichever side is to blame, talk of bipartisanship does not seem to have become reality. Iwan Morgan: US politics is more polarised than at the comparable stage of the Bush presidency - though this is not necessarily Barack Obama's fault. * |
| Iwan Morgan is Professor of US Studies and Director of the US Presidency Centre, Institute for the Study of the Americas, University of London. | Iwan Morgan is Professor of US Studies and Director of the US Presidency Centre, Institute for the Study of the Americas, University of London. |
| Tell us what scores you would give Barack Obama, using the form below. | Tell us what scores you would give Barack Obama, using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |