… Most of these end-of-Obama sentiments are sincerely felt, and there are plenty of Obama-specific reasons for making these judgments. Yet they all lack historical perspective. In fact, the notion that the Obama presidency is all but over has arrived right on schedule for any second-term president. …
During his early years, a president naturally enjoys the hopes of his supporters; they suppress any disappointments they feel in the interests of winning the White House again. While in a second term, even his strongest supporters feel freer to express their disenchantment. For their part, meanwhile, second-term presidents care less about approval and more about outcomes. They still need public support, but only in a more instrumental way — for example, to help them obtain legislation from Congress. CONT.
James Mann (SAIS), New York Times