Undoubtedly, Obama gave many people hope that politics in the US could change, and he professed to seek positive changes in governmental policies and the processes of government as well.

So, one positive outcome from Obama is that he energized a large number of people to become extremely active in the political process, some who had never been motivated to participate before he became a candidate.

On the other hand, because of the initial enthusiasm, many of his supporters have become quite disappointed as they witness the dissonance between his stated priorities for governance during the campaign and the actions he has taken as president. As a result, some neophytes have or will likely become disillusioned with politics for a while.

Also, I think that he tried to facilitate a bipartisan approach to enacting legislation. But, as I hope he's learned, Republicans don't do bipartisanship unless they are the ones that stand to gain the better outcome.

And as Dadler noted above, some of his personal characteristics have been barriers to positive changes. Using bipartisanship as an example, he continues with certain plans that have proven to be counterproductive. And, certain people whom he's chosen as advisors are counterintuitive choices given his stated objectives on the campaign trail. It seems unlikely that he would not know the opinions and previous positions of his chosen advisors. However, giving him the benefit of the doubt, I hope that if he recognizes that things in America are not headed in the direction he foresaw, he will have the courage to take a different course. Anyway, I hope he recognizes his mistakes sooner rather than later.

Jeralyn, thank you so much for reminding me of the exquisite letter that Dr. King wrote while incarcerated in a jail in Birmingham. He certainly did have an extraordinary gift for communication, both in speaking and writing. Using rhetorical devices so majestically, he was able to convince his adversaries of the validity of his ideas and values, time and again.

Today, it seems that very few people are willing to risk so much to achieve their goals. His philosophy, courage, and perseverance truly gave people hope, but with him, talking was just the beginning; he followed through with bold actions. Just recalling his accomplishments and actions  lifted my spirits.