Trump and Obama: Two characters in search of a legacy

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The first line in the encyclopaedias would always be: “The USA’s first black president.” So it has come to pass.

But few, eight years ago, expected him to be followed into the White House by someone who is in every respect his opposite.

You could argue President Obama has no legacy, the achievements of eight years already lie shredded by the election of Donald Trump.

Mr Trump has indeed promised to undo Obamacare, the Iran deal, the Paris climate change deal, new environmental rules and regulations and much else that he has derided as “horrible”.

But we can’t really judge Mr Obama’s legacy until we know how profoundly it will be undone.

This will be important.

How history sees Barack Obama depends on Mr Trump, in more ways than one.

Because this is about character, charisma and storytelling.

For a masterful writer, for a man who quite literally wrote his own tale long before others could define him, it is sobering the way Mr Obama lost control of the narrative in the White House.

What were seen as positive qualities, a relief and a reaction after George W Bush, looked less favourable to some as time went on. Continue reading…

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