Sarah Baxter,The Times of London
- Obama is Jimmy Carter’s idea of a good leader
LESS than two weeks into his administration,President Barack Obama is being portrayed by opponents as a new Jimmy Carter –weak at home and naive abroad –in an attempt to dim his post-election glow and ensure that he serves only one term.
The charge has stung because it was made privately by Hillary Clinton supporters during a hard-fought primary campaign and plays to fears about Obama’s inexperience.
He is engaged in early trials of strength with Republicans in Washington and critics of the United States around the world – not least Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,the Iranian president. Obama faces battles to talk Wall Street into giving up its addiction to large bonuses and US banks to start lending again.