Once a most unlikely candidate, Barack Obama’s successful campaign for the White House made him a worldwide sensation and a transformative figure even before he was inaugurated. Elected as the Iraq War and Great Recession discouraged millions of Americans, Obama’s promise of hope revived the national spirit.
Had he only saved the economy, Obama would be considered a truly successful president. However he has achieved so much more, against ferocious opposition, that he can be counted as one of the most consequential presidents in history. With health care reform, he ended a crisis of escalating costs and inadequate access that threatened 50 million people. His energy policies drove down the cost of power generated by the sun, wind, and even fossil fuels. His climate change efforts produced the first treaty to address global warming in a meaningful way, and his diplomacy produced a dramatic reduction in the nuclear threat posed by Iran. Add the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, the normalization of relations with Cuba, and the “pivot” toward Asia, and his successes abroad match those at home.
In A CONSEQUENTIAL PRESIDENT, Michael D’Antonio tallies Obama’s long record of achievement, both his major successes and less-noticed ones that nevertheless contribute to his legacy. Obama’s greatest achievement came as he restored dignity and ethics to the office of the president, proof that he delivered the hope and change he promised.
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"I purchased this book with the intention of learning more about Obama's presidency and this book delivered. I had finished reading Trump - Fear in the White House and was looking for a more of a behind the scenes view to his time in office. While this book did not delivery on that end it was still a good read. It gets very detailed looks into many of his policies and will leave you very well informed. "
— Calvin (4 out of 5 stars)
“D’Antonio is partisan in that he admires Obama, but as befits a distinguished reporter, his assessments, while not neutral, are certainly balanced.”
— Publishers Weekly“Obama’s historic presidency during a time of great divisiveness in Washington and the country is an important time in American history, and D’Antonio offers a terrific summary.”
— Booklist“D’Antonio takes a broad, generous look at the entire Obama administration and finds many solid arguments that he indeed delivered the ‘change’ that he promised in 2008.”
— Kirkus ReviewsBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Michael D’Antonio, as part of a team of journalists from Newsday, won the Pulitzer Prize for his reporting before going on to write many acclaimed books, including Atomic Harvest and The Truth about Trump. He has written for Esquire, the New York Times Magazine, and Sports Illustrated. In his writings, he believes that readers always comes first, meaning that he owes them clarity, precision, and a good story, with loyalty to the facts and respect for the complexities of human character in context.
George Newbern is an Earphones Award–winning narrator and a television and film actor best known for his roles as Brian MacKenzie in Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride Part II, as well as Danny in Friends. As a voice actor, he is notable for his role as Superman on the Cartoon Newtork series Static Shock, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited. He has guest starred on many television series, including Scandal, The Mentalist, Private Practice, CSI: Miami, and Numb3rs. He holds a BA in theater arts from Northwestern University.