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Nov 01/10 - Pt 1: Obama's 18 Months

U.S. President Barack Obama came to office on a wave of optimism, promising hope and change. Tomorrow, he faces a mid-term election that threatens to take the wind out of his sails. We talk to writer Peter Baker about Obama's first 18 months in office and to historian Allan Lichtman about what Obama could learn from past Presidents.

Listen to Part One: (Pop-up)

PART ONE

It's Monday, November 1st.

A day before the US midterms and President Obama is still insisting "yes we can".

Currently... Yes. We. Can.... but it's not easy with a Muslim President from Kenya.

This is The Current.

Obama's 18 Months - Peter Baker

We started this segment with a clip from Barack Obama, accepting the Democratic nomination in June, 2008 and predicting a very bright future.

At the time, Barack Obama made even the loftiest goals seem possible. But today, his ambition has been reigned in. Barack Obama's first term as the President of the United States is at its half-way mark. He is facing a revitalized conservative movement, dismal poll numbers, and the very real possibility of losing control of the House of Representatives in tomorrow's mid-term election.

Peter Baker has been covering the Obama White House for the New York Times. He also got a chance to sit down with President Obama for a feature he wrote in the New York Times Magazine about Obama's first 18 months in office. Peter Baker was in Washington.

Obama's 18 Months - Allan Lichtman

Well President Obama has taken to reading Presidential biographies. For his thoughts on what the President may learn from past administrations, we were joined by Allan Lichtman. He's a Professor of History at American University in Washington.


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