History UsefulNotes / BarackObama

He's relatively young ([[OlderThanTheyLook 47 on taking office]]), being the only President born after 1946 to date, and is in a [[HappilyMarried visibly loving relationship]] with his wife [[UsefulNotes/MichelleObama Michelle]], and is often seen publicly with his daughters Malia and Sasha in non-political contexts. He is also the first African-American president and the first president to be of mixed-race ancestry (the son of a White mother and a Black father), an achievement that was cited by some as proof that the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement had paid off. At the same time, however, his mixed-race status led to a conspiracy theory that Obama was not actually an American citizen, and while Obama did release his birth certificate, the conspiracy still lingered with allegations that it was forged.[[note]]Though it should be noted that most legal scholars believe that it doesn't matter where the person is born, only that he or she is an American citizen by birth and not a citizen by naturalization. Neither UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain nor Ted Cruz were born in the United States (the former in the then-American-occupied Panama Canal Zone, the latter in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) but both were able to run for President because they were children of American citizens, who just happened to be born in another country. However, due to the laws in 1961, Obama's American mother would not have been ''old enough'' to pass her citizenship to her son. [[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sBinYpwp0UEJ:https://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2009/10/what-the-birthers-have-taught-us-about-barack-obama-and-the-constitution/&hl=en&gl=ca&strip=1&vwsrc=0 Had he been born outside the US — which he was not — there would have been an issue, however a 1986 amendment both modifies the requirements so his mother would have qualified and applies them to people who were born after 1952]]. There is ample proof of his Hawaiian birth, though, including an announcement in the local paper.[[/note]]

In hindsight, the conspiracy theory was a sign of a greater "whitelash" against Obama's electoral win (the very idea of a Black POTUS having ''long'' been thrown around as grist for fear-mongering by white supremacists).. Furthermore, some analysts argued that the underestimation of said whitelash (as well as the homophobic backlash against the legalization of same-sex marriage during his presidency) led to the emergence of the alt-right and Trump's 2016 victory. At the same time, frustrations with racial inequalities and violence experienced by minorities resulted in the emergence of UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement during Obama's presidency. Thus, the idea that America entered a "post-racial" age with Obama's presidency is generally considered a hollow sentiment at best, and most agree that the Civil Rights Movement still has many battles left to fight before it can truly be declared 100% successful.

In hindsight, the conspiracy theory was a sign of a greater "whitelash" against Obama's electoral win (the very idea of a Black POTUS having ''long'' been thrown around as grist for fear-mongering by white supremacists), and some analysts argued that the underestimation of this whitelash (as well as the homophobic backlash against the legalization of same-sex marriage during his presidency) led to the emergence of the alt-right and Trump's 2016 victory. At the same time, frustrations with persistent racial inequalities and violence towards minorities resulted in the UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement during Obama's presidency. Thus, the idea that America entered a "post-racial" age with Obama's presidency is generally considered a hollow sentiment at best, and most agree that the Civil Rights Movement still has many battles left to fight before it can truly be declared 100% successful.

In terms of his actual presidency, public opinion on Obama today is generally mixed, but mostly skews positive with little outright hatred outside of the far right and far left. Criticism of Obama generally focuses on his inaction on immigration reform[[note]]His administration saw a record number of deportations at the time, though he ''did'' eventually try to use executive orders to circumvent Congress and protect immigrant children.[[/note]], his management of the financial recovery and his handling of the War on Terror, in which he failed to truly resolve it and took actions that arguably exacerbated it (namely the aforementioned drone strikes). Critics of a more progressive bent have expressed disappointment with Obama for not capitalizing on his public clout and congressional majorities to deliver on his promised systemic reforms (e.g. not including a public option in his healthcare reform, not spending more on the economic recovery and punishing Wall Street for triggering the recession), as well as his continued support for foreign entanglements abroad. Additionally, retrospective analysts note that while Obama's economic recovery program benefited urban, non-redlined Americans to a strong enough degree to restore their confidence, rural residents and even some middle-class suburban families didn't see the same benefits, and in some cases the the recession belatedly hit them during the urban recovery.

He's relatively young ([[OlderThanTheyLook 47 on taking office]]), being the only President born after 1946 to date, and is in a [[HappilyMarried visibly loving relationship]] with his wife [[UsefulNotes/MichelleObama Michelle]], and is often seen publicly with his daughters Malia and Sasha in non-political contexts. He is also the first American president to be of mixed-race ancestry (the son of a White mother and a Black father), an achievement that was cited by some as proof that the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement had paid off. At the same time, however, his mixed-race status led to a conspiracy theory that Obama was not actually an American citizen, and while Obama did release his birth certificate, the conspiracy still lingered with allegations that it was forged.[[note]]Though it should be noted that most legal scholars believe that it doesn't matter where the person is born, only that he or she is an American citizen by birth and not a citizen by naturalization. Neither UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain nor Ted Cruz were born in the United States (the former in the then-American-occupied Panama Canal Zone, the latter in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) but both were able to run for President because they were children of American citizens, who just happened to be born in another country. However, due to the laws in 1961, Obama's American mother would not have been ''old enough'' to pass her citizenship to her son. [[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sBinYpwp0UEJ:https://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2009/10/what-the-birthers-have-taught-us-about-barack-obama-and-the-constitution/&hl=en&gl=ca&strip=1&vwsrc=0 Had he been born outside the US — which he was not — there would have been an issue, however a 1986 amendment both modifies the requirements so his mother would have qualified and applies them to people who were born after 1952]]. There is ample proof of his Hawaiian birth, though, including an announcement in the local paper.[[/note]]

He's relatively young ([[OlderThanTheyLook 47 on taking office]]), being the only President born after 1946 to date, and is in a [[HappilyMarried visibly loving relationship]] with his wife [[UsefulNotes/MichelleObama Michelle]], and is often seen publicly with his daughters Malia and Sasha in non-political contexts. He is also the first American president to be of mixed-race ancestry (the son of a White mother and a Black father), an achievement that has been cited by some as proof that the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement has paid off. At the same time, however, his mixed-race status led to a conspiracy theory that Obama was not actually an American citizen, and while Obama did release his birth certificate, the conspiracy still lingered with allegations that it was forged.[[note]]Though it should be noted that most legal scholars believe that it doesn't matter where the person is born, only that he or she is an American citizen by birth and not a citizen by naturalization. Neither UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain nor Ted Cruz were born in the United States (the former in the then-American-occupied Panama Canal Zone, the latter in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) but both were able to run for President because they were children of American citizens, who just happened to be born in another country. However, due to the laws in 1961, Obama's American mother would not have been ''old enough'' to pass her citizenship to her son. [[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sBinYpwp0UEJ:https://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2009/10/what-the-birthers-have-taught-us-about-barack-obama-and-the-constitution/&hl=en&gl=ca&strip=1&vwsrc=0 Had he been born outside the US — which he was not — there would have been an issue, however a 1986 amendment both modifies the requirements so his mother would have qualified and applies them to people who were born after 1952]]. There is ample proof of his Hawaiian birth, though, including an announcement in the local paper. [[/note]] In hindsight, the conspiracy theory was a sign of a greater "whitelash" against Obama's electoral win (the very idea of a Black POTUS having ''long'' been thrown around as grist for fear-mongering by white supremacists), and some analysts argued that the underestimation of this whitelash (as well as the homophobic backlash against the legalization of same-sex marriage during his presidency) led to the emergence of the alt-right and Trump's 2016 victory. At the same time, frustrations with persistent racial inequalities and violence towards minorities resulted in the UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement during Obama's presidency. Thus, the idea that America entered a "post-racial" age with Obama's presidency is generally considered a hollow sentiment at best, and most agree that the Civil Rights Movement still has many battles left to fight before it can truly be declared 100% successful.

That said, most agree that he came at a time when an upbeat president like himself was most needed, with his optimistic campaign messages and fatherly demeanor helped American morale in the face of the Great Recession. His push for domestic social and economic reform also garnered favor among the American left (even if his Affordable Care Act was mostly just repurposing a failed bill by UsefulNotes/RichardNixon), and his combination of an articulately dignified demeanor and lighthearted sense of [[DeadpanSnarker dry humor]] led many to regard him as an excellent public relations figure as well. Furthermore, despite the mixed response to his handling of the conflict in the Middle East, the killing of Al-Qaeda founder UsefulNotes/OsamaBinLaden in 2011 under his command was generally regarded as a great moment of catharsis for America, nearly ten years after the September 11 attacks that had so thoroughly shaken the world at the start of Bush's term. And his second presidency saw the legalization of gay marriage in all states of the United States in 2015. On the international front, his pivot to Asia and perceived reluctance to be more forceful was divisive in Europe. However, he remains fairly popular with young Europeans, and is more fondly remembered now, if only because he is the polar opposite to both George W. Bush and Donald Trump and -- in retrospect -- is wistfully remembered as a statesmanlike and rational figure. Contrast the reactions to their visits in Britain: Obama was welcomed like a rockstar. Bush was booed and heckled as a war criminal. Trump was greeted by a colossal 'Trump Baby' balloon flying over London.

In terms of his actual presidency, public opinion on Obama today is generally mixed, but mostly skews positive with little outright hatred outside of the far right and far left. Criticism of Obama generally focuses on his inaction on immigration reform[[note]]His administration saw a record number of deportations at the time, though he ''did'' eventually try to use executive orders to circumvent Congress and protect immigrant children.[[/note]], his management of the financial recovery and his handling of the War on Terror, in which he failed to truly resolve it and took actions that arguably exacerbated it (namely the aforementioned drone strikes). Critics of a more progressive bent have expressed disappointment with Obama for not capitalizing on his public clout and congressional majorities to deliver on his promised systemic reforms (e.g. not pushing for a public option in his healthcare act, not spending more on the economic recovery and not prosecuting Wall Street figures who triggered the recession), as well as his continued support for foreign entanglements and wars abroad. Additionally, retrospective analysts note that while Obama's economic recovery program benefited urban, non-redlined Americans to a strong enough degree to restore their confidence, rural residents and even some middle-class suburban families didn't see the same benefits, and in some cases the the recession belatedly hit them during the urban recovery.

In hindsight, the tepid financial recovery, racial and homophobic backlash and general disillusionment with establishment Democrats like nominee UsefulNotes/HillaryRodhamClinton resulted in Democrats losing most of their government seats and Donald Trump becoming elected in 2016. Subsequently, the Democratic Party began shifting leftwards with progressive populists like UsefulNotes/BernieSanders capturing the liberal zeitgeist and moderate Democrats adopting more liberal policies. Most notably, Obama's Vice President, UsefulNotes/JoeBiden, won the 2020 election by campaigning on a platform significantly to the left of Obama's.

* Antarctic Press is publishing a mini-series entitled ''ComicBook/PresidentEvil'' which features President "Ba-rot" Obama fighting zombies. Covers so far parody ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness'', ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater'' and ''Film/TheEvilDead'', and the last fourth issue will apparently be subtitled "Yes, We Cannibal!" Bonus points to Arctic Press, as the cover is the "Hope" poster featuring zombie Obama.

He's relatively young ([[OlderThanTheyLook 47 on taking office]]), being the only President born after 1946 to date, and is in a [[HappilyMarried visibly loving relationship]] with his wife [[UsefulNotes/MichelleObama Michelle]], and is often seen publicly with his daughters Malia and Sasha in non-political contexts. He is also the first American president to be of mixed-race ancestry (the son of a White mother and a Black father), an achievement that has been cited by some as proof that the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement has paid off. At the same time, however, his mixed-race status led to a conspiracy theory that Obama was not actually an American citizen, and while Obama did release his birth certificate, the conspiracy still lingered with allegations that it was forged.[[note]]Though it should be noted that most legal scholars believe that it doesn't matter where the person is born, only that he or she is an American citizen by birth and not a citizen by naturalization. Neither UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain nor Ted Cruz were born in the United States (the former in the then-American-occupied Panama Canal Zone, the latter in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) but both were able to run for President because they were children of American citizens, who just happened to be born in another country. However, due to the laws in 1961, Obama's American mother would not have been ''old enough'' to pass her citizenship to her son. [[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sBinYpwp0UEJ:https://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2009/10/what-the-birthers-have-taught-us-about-barack-obama-and-the-constitution/&hl=en&gl=ca&strip=1&vwsrc=0 Had he been born outside the US — which he was not — there would have been an issue, however a 1986 amendment both modifies the requirements so his mother would have qualified and applies them to people who were born after 1952]]. There is ample proof of his Hawaiian birth, though, including an announcement in the local paper. [[/note]] In hindsight, the conspiracy theory was a sign of a greater "whitelash" against Obama's electoral win (the very idea of a Black POTUS having ''long'' been thrown around as grist for fear-mongering by white supremacists), and some analysts argued that the underestimation of this whitelash (as well as the homophobic backlash against the legalization of same-sex marriage during his presidency) led to the emergence of the alt-right and Trump's 2016 victory. At the same time, frustrations with persistent racial inequalities and violence towards minorities during Obama's presidency resulted in the UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement. Thus, the idea that America entered a "post-racial" age with Obama's presidency is generally considered a hollow sentiment at best, and most agree that the Civil Rights Movement still has many battles left to fight before it can truly be declared 100% successful.

In terms of his actual presidency, public opinion on Obama today is generally mixed, but mostly skews positive with little outright hatred outside of the far right and far left. Criticism of Obama generally focuses on his inaction on immigration reform[[note]]His administration saw a record number of deportations at the time, though he ''did'' eventually try to use executive orders to circumvent Congress and protect immigrant children.[[/note]], his management of the financial recovery and his handling of the War on Terror, in which he failed to truly resolve it and took actions that arguably exacerbated it (namely the aforementioned drone strikes). Critics of a more progressive bent have expressed disappointment with Obama for not capitalizing on his initial goodwill and sizable congressional majorities to fully deliver on his promised systemic reforms (e.g. not pushing for a public option in his healthcare act, not spending more on the economic recovery and not prosecuting Wall Street figures who triggered the recession), as well as his continued support for foreign entanglements and wars abroad. Some progressives have even accused Obama of abandoning or undermining rising progressive populists like UsefulNotes/BernieSanders and Elizabeth Warren. Additionally, retrospective analysts note that while Obama's economic recovery program benefited urban, non-redlined Americans to a strong enough degree to restore their confidence, rural residents and even some middle-class suburban families didn't see the same benefits, and in some cases the the recession belatedly hit them during the urban recovery.

* Though his face was not seen, it was implied that he was the one who elected Norman Osborn as King of Everything at the end of ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' via the shade of the President's hand that presented Osborn. It was later retconned that Obama's [[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush predecessor]] was the one who held the IdiotBall during that particular decision. Later, Obama pardoned ComicBook/CaptainAmerica for his crimes during ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' and authorized Osborn's takedown.

He's relatively young ([[OlderThanTheyLook 47 on taking office]]), being the only President born after 1946 to date, and is in a [[HappilyMarried visibly loving relationship]] with his wife [[UsefulNotes/MichelleObama Michelle]], and is often seen publicly with his daughters Malia and Sasha in non-political contexts. He is also the first American president to be of mixed-race ancestry (the son of a White mother and a Black father), an achievement that has been cited by some as proof that the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement has paid off. At the same time, however, his mixed-race status led to a conspiracy theory that Obama was not actually an American citizen, and while Obama did release his birth certificate, the conspiracy still lingered with allegations that it was forged.[[note]]Though it should be noted that most legal scholars believe that it doesn't matter where the person is born, only that he or she is an American citizen by birth and not a citizen by naturalization. Neither UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain nor Ted Cruz were born in the United States (the former in the then-American-occupied Panama Canal Zone, the latter in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) but both were able to run for President because they were children of American citizens, who just happened to be born in another country. However, due to the laws in 1961, Obama's American mother would not have been ''old enough'' to pass her citizenship to her son. [[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sBinYpwp0UEJ:https://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2009/10/what-the-birthers-have-taught-us-about-barack-obama-and-the-constitution/&hl=en&gl=ca&strip=1&vwsrc=0 Had he been born outside the US — which he was not — there would have been an issue, however a 1986 amendment both modifies the requirements so his mother would have qualified and applies them to people who were born after 1952]]. There is ample proof of his Hawaiian birth, though, including an announcement in the local paper. [[/note]] In hindsight, the conspiracy theory was a sign of a greater "whitelash" against Obama's electoral win (the very idea of a Black POTUS having ''long'' been thrown around as grist for fear-mongering by white supremacists), and some analysts argued that the underestimation of this whitelash as well as the homphobic backlash against the 2015 ruling during his presidency that legalize gay marriage in all states of the US lead to the emergence of the alt-right during Obama's presidency and Trump's 2016 victory. At the same time, frustrations with persistent racial inequalities and violence towards minorities during Obama's presidency resulted in the UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement. Thus, the idea that America entered a "post-racial" age with Obama's presidency is generally considered a hollow sentiment at best, and most agree that the Civil Rights Movement still has many battles left to fight before it can truly be declared 100% successful.

He's relatively young ([[OlderThanTheyLook 47 on taking office]]), being the only President born after 1946 to date, and is in a [[HappilyMarried visibly loving relationship]] with his wife [[UsefulNotes/MichelleObama Michelle]], and is often seen publicly with his daughters Malia and Sasha in non-political contexts. He is also the first American president to be of mixed-race ancestry (the son of a White mother and a Black father), an achievement that has been cited by some as proof that the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement has paid off. At the same time, however, his mixed-race status led to a conspiracy theory that Obama was not actually an American citizen, and while Obama did release his birth certificate, the conspiracy still lingered with allegations that it was forged.[[note]]Though it should be noted that most legal scholars believe that it doesn't matter where the person is born, only that he or she is an American citizen by birth and not a citizen by naturalization. Neither UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain nor Ted Cruz were born in the United States (the former in the then-American-occupied Panama Canal Zone, the latter in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) but both were able to run for President because they were children of American citizens, who just happened to be born in another country. However, due to the laws in 1961, Obama's American mother would not have been ''old enough'' to pass her citizenship to her son. [[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sBinYpwp0UEJ:https://law.marquette.edu/facultyblog/2009/10/what-the-birthers-have-taught-us-about-barack-obama-and-the-constitution/&hl=en&gl=ca&strip=1&vwsrc=0 Had he been born outside the US — which he was not — there would have been an issue, however a 1986 amendment both modifies the requirements so his mother would have qualified and applies them to people who were born after 1952]]. There is ample proof of his Hawaiian birth, though, including an announcement in the local paper. [[/note]] In hindsight, the conspiracy theory was a sign of a greater "whitelash" against Obama's electoral win (the very idea of a Black POTUS having ''long'' been thrown around as grist for fear-mongering by white supremacists), and some analysts argued that the underestimation of this whitelash lead to the emergence of the alt-right during Obama's presidency and Trump's 2016 victory. At the same time, frustrations with persistent racial inequalities and violence towards minorities during Obama's presidency resulted in the UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement. Thus, the idea that America entered a "post-racial" age with Obama's presidency is generally considered a hollow sentiment at best, and most agree that the Civil Rights Movement still has many battles left to fight before it can truly be declared 100% successful.

In hindsight, the tepid financial recovery, racial backlash and general disillusionment with establishment Democrats like nominee UsefulNotes/HillaryRodhamClinton resulted in Democrats losing most of their government seats and Donald Trump becoming elected in 2016. Subsequently, the Democratic Party began shifting leftwards with progressive populists like UsefulNotes/BernieSanders capturing the liberal zeitgeist and moderate Democrats adopting more liberal policies. Most notably, Obama's Vice President, UsefulNotes/JoeBiden, won the 2020 election by campaigning on a platform significantly to the left of Obama's.

That said, most agree that he came at a time when an upbeat president like himself was most needed, with his optimistic campaign messages and fatherly demeanor helped American morale in the face of the Great Recession. His push for domestic social and economic reform also garnered favor among the American left (even if his Affordable Care Act was mostly just repurposing a failed bill by UsefulNotes/RichardNixon), and his combination of an articulately dignified demeanor and lighthearted sense of [[DeadpanSnarker dry humor]] led many to regard him as an excellent public relations figure as well. Furthermore, despite the mixed response to his handling of the conflict in the Middle East, the killing of Al-Qaeda founder UsefulNotes/OsamaBinLaden in 2011 under his command was generally regarded as a great moment of catharsis for America, nearly ten years after the September 11 attacks that had so thoroughly shaken the world at the start of Bush's term. On the international front, his pivot to Asia and perceived reluctance to be more forceful was divisive in Europe. However, he remains fairly popular with young Europeans, and is more fondly remembered now, if only because he is the polar opposite to both George W. Bush and Donald Trump and -- in retrospect -- is wistfully remembered as a statesmanlike and rational figure. Contrast the reactions to their visits in Britain: Obama was welcomed like a rockstar. Bush was booed and heckled as a war criminal. Trump was greeted by a colossal 'Trump Baby' balloon flying over London.

He's relatively young ([[OlderThanTheyLook 47 on taking office]]), being the only President born after 1946 to date, and is in a [[HappilyMarried visibly loving relationship]] with his wife [[UsefulNotes/MichelleObama Michelle]], and is often seen publicly with his daughters Malia and Sasha in non-political contexts. He is also the first American president to be of mixed-race ancestry (the son of a White mother and a Black father), an achievement that has been cited by some as proof that the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement has paid off. At the same time, however, his mixed-race status led to a conspiracy theory that Obama was not actually an American citizen, and while Obama did release his birth certificate, the conspiracy still lingered with allegations that it was forged.[[note]]Though it should be noted that most legal scholars believe that it doesn't matter where the person is born, only that he or she is an American citizen by birth and not a citizen by naturalization. Had he actually been born in Kenya, he would have been an American citizen by birth regardless because his mother was an American citizen. Neither UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain nor Ted Cruz were born in the United States (the former in the then-American-occupied Panama Canal Zone, the latter in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) but both were able to run for President because they were children of American citizens, who just happened to be born in another country.[[/note]] In hindsight, the conspiracy theory was a sign of a greater "whitelash" against Obama's electoral win (the very idea of a Black POTUS having ''long'' been thrown around as grist for fear-mongering by white supremacists), and some analysts argued that the underestimation of this whitelash lead to the emergence of the alt-right during Obama's presidency and Trump's 2016 victory. At the same time, frustrations with persistent racial inequalities and violence towards minorities during Obama's presidency resulted in the UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement. Thus, the idea that America entered a "post-racial" age with Obama's presidency is generally considered a hollow sentiment at best, and most agree that the Civil Rights Movement still has many battles left to fight before it can truly be declared 100% successful.

* He made a {{cameo}} appearance at the conclusion of a story arc in ''ComicStrip/{{Luann}}'' that featured Luann, Bernice, and Delta (who had wanted to see him) visiting Washington DC. (His face was not actually shown.)

* In ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', Grodd is sent to kill him while he's still in college, noting that "It will almost be an honor." After the Legends foil the plot, he's able to give Sara the perfect advice for the emotional issues she's having despite having no frame of reference for her time travelling. She also advises him to hold onto his birth certificate.

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': The "Angel Fall" spell causes everyone's appearance to change without them noticing, except for [[OnlySaneMan a few who managed to escape the effects]]. The lead turns on the news, only to discover that President Obama has been swapped with a certain lesbian schoolgirl, who [[GratuitousEnglish uses Obama's "Yes we can!"]] CatchPhrase.

He's relatively young ([[OlderThanTheyLook 47 on taking office]]), being the only President born after 1946 to date, and is in a [[HappilyMarried visibly loving relationship]] with his wife [[UsefulNotes/MichelleObama Michelle]], and is often seen publicly with his daughters Malia and Sasha in non-political contexts. He is also the first American president to be of mixed-race ancestry (the son of a White mother and a Black father), an achievement that has been cited by some as proof that the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement has paid off. At the same time, however, his mixed-race status led to a conspiracy theory that Obama was not actually an American citizen, and while Obama did release his birth certificate, the conspiracy still lingered with allegations that it was forged.[[note]]Though it should be noted that most legal scholars believe that it doesn’t matter where the person is born, only that he or she is an American citizen by birth and not a citizen by naturalization. Had he actually been born in Kenya, he would have been an American citizen by birth regardless because his mother was an American citizen. Neither UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain nor Ted Cruz were born in the United States (the former in the then-American-occupied Panama Canal Zone, the latter in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) but both were able to run for President because they were children of American citizens, who just happened to be born in another country.[[/note]] In hindsight, the conspiracy theory was a sign of a greater "whitelash" against Obama's electoral win (the very idea of a Black POTUS having ''long'' been thrown around as grist for fear-mongering by white supremacists), and some analyst argued that the underestimation of this whitelash lead to the emergence of the alt-right during Obama's presidency and Trump's 2016 victory. At the same time, frustrations with persistent racial inequalities and violence towards minorities during Obama's presidency resulted in the UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement. Thus, the idea that America entered a "post-racial" age with Obama's presidency is generally considered a hollow sentiment at best, and most agree that the Civil Rights Movement still has many battles left to fight before it can truly be declared 100% successful.

Comedians, satirists and impressionists often struggled to find a consistent angle in portraying Obama, as his carefully guarded, straight-laced-and-straight-faced communication style pigeonheld any of the usual gaffes that could define a president in the popular mind (Obama certainly had a few such errors, but they were complicated, and didn't make for easy comedic fodder). ''Website/TheOnion'' largely focused on Obama's controversial drone warfare attacks and the disconnect between them and his more idealistic rhetoric. ''Series/KeyAndPeele'' arguably struck the most resonant chord with their portrayal of Obama and his "anger translator" Luther, whose job it was to take the President's carefully worded language and express it in the angry terms Obama couldn't (which proved a brilliant opportunity in a White House Correspondent's Dinner when Obama himself took part, steadily getting angrier and angrier - and, one suspects, revealing some of his real feelings and frustrations beneath the calm outside). This was related to a broader sense (and criticism) of Obama as TheSpock: profoundly rational and logical in thought processing, but unable or unwilling to channel the country's rage over, say, the economic devastation of the Great Recession, with most agreeing that a desire to avoid the AngryBlackManStereotype was the driving impetus behind it (the fact that Obama was actually a big fan of Spock made this unflattering comparison really easy for columnists). Obama contrasted his Spock-like rigidity though by simultaneously cultivating an image as something of a father figure for the United States, combining an air for rigid professionalism with a visible fondness for the United States and hope for it to continue improving, encouraging American youth in particular with spurring on change.

That said, most agree that he came at a time when an upbeat president like himself was most needed, with his optimistic campaign messages and fatherly demeanor helped American morale in the face of the Great Recession. His push for domestic social and economic reform also garnered favor among the American left (even if his Affordable Care Act was mostly just repurposing a failed bill by UsefulNotes/RichardNixon), and his combination of an articulately dignified demeanor and lighthearted sense of [[DeadpanSnarker dry humor]] led many to regard him as an excellent public relations figure as well. Furthermore, despite the mixed response to his handling of the conflict in the Middle East, the killing of Al-Qaeda founder UsefulNotes/OsamaBinLaden in 2011 under his command was generally regarded as a great moment of catharsis for America, nearly ten years after the September 11 attacks that had so thoroughly shaken the world at the start of Bush's term. On the international front, his pivot to Asia and perceived reluctance to be more forceful was divisive in Europe. However, he remains fairly popular with young Europeans, and is more fondly remembered now, if only because he is the polar opposite to both George W. Bush and Donald Trump and - in retrospect - is wistfully remembered as a statesmanlike and rational figure. Contrast the reactions to their visits in Britain: Obama was welcomed like a rockstar. Bush was booed and heckled as a war criminal. Trump was greeted by a colossal 'Trump Baby' balloon flying over London.

He's relatively young ([[OlderThanTheyLook 47 on taking office]]), being the only President born after 1946 to date, and is in a [[HappilyMarried visibly loving relationship]] with his wife [[UsefulNotes/MichelleObama Michelle]], and is often seen publicly with his daughters Malia and Sasha in non-political contexts. He is also the first American president to be of mixed-race ancestry (the son of a White mother and a Black father), an achievement that has been cited by some as proof that the UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement has paid off. At the same time, however, his mixed-race status led to a UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheory that Obama was not actually an American citizen, and while Obama did release his birth certificate, the conspiracy still lingered with allegations that it was forged.[[note]]Though it should be noted that most legal scholars believe that it doesn’t matter where the person is born, only that he or she is an American citizen by birth and not a citizen by naturalization. Had he actually been born in Kenya, he would have been an American citizen by birth regardless because his mother was an American citizen. Neither UsefulNotes/JohnMcCain nor Ted Cruz were born in the United States (the former in the then-American-occupied Panama Canal Zone, the latter in Calgary, Alberta, Canada) but both were able to run for President because they were children of American citizens, who just happened to be born in another country.[[/note]] In hindsight, the conspiracy theory was a sign of a greater "whitelash" against Obama's electoral win (the very idea of a Black POTUS having ''long'' been thrown around as grist for fear-mongering by white supremacists), and some analyst argued that the underestimation of this whitelash lead to the emergence of the alt-right during Obama's presidency and Trump's 2016 victory. At the same time, frustrations with persistent racial inequalities and violence towards minorities during Obama's presidency resulted in the UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement. Thus, the idea that America entered a "post-racial" age with Obama's presidency is generally considered a hollow sentiment at best, and most agree that the Civil Rights Movement still has many battles left to fight before it can truly be declared 100% successful.

* In an interesting twist of reality-imitating-fiction, the last season of ''Series/TheWestWing'' had Hispanic candidate Matt Santos winning the Presidency. Matt Santos was based on a then barely-known senator named Barack Obama. Not only that, his opponent was a much older Republican centrist. AND both Santos and Obama appointed a major rival Presidential candidate as his Secretary of State. [[UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories We're through the looking glass, people]].

In terms of his actual presidency, public opinion on Obama today is generally mixed, but mostly skews positive with little outright hatred outside of the far right and far left. Criticism of Obama generally focuses on his inaction on immigration reform[[note]]His administration saw a record number of deportations at the time, though he ''did'' eventually try to use executive orders to circumvent Congress and protect immigrant children.[[/note]], his management of the financial recovery and his handling of the War on Terror, in which he failed to truly resolve it and took actions that arguably exacerbated it (namely the aforementioned drone strikes). Critics of a more progressive bent have expressed disappointment with Obama for not capitalizing on his initial goodwill and sizable congressional majorities to fully deliver on his promised systemic reforms (e.g. not pushing for a public option in his healthcare act, not spending more on the economic recovery and not prosecuting Wall Street figures who triggered the recession), as well as his continued support for foreign entanglements and wars abroad. Some progressives have even accused Obama of abandoning or undermining rising progressive populists like UsefulNotes/BernieSanders and Elizabeth Warren). Additionally, retrospective analysts note that while Obama's economic recovery program benefited urban, non-redlined Americans to a strong enough degree to restore their confidence, rural residents and even some middle-class suburban families didn't see the same benefits, and in some cases the the recession belatedly hit them during the urban recovery.

Comedians, satirists and impressionists often struggled to find a consistent angle in portraying Obama, as his carefully guarded, straight-laced-and-straight-faced communication style pigeonheld any of the usual gaffes that could define a president in the popular mind (Obama certainly had a few such errors, but they were complicated, and didn't make for easy comedic fodder). ''Website/TheOnion'' largely focused on Obama's controversial drone warfare attacks and the disconnect between them and his more idealistic rhetoric. ''Series/KeyAndPeele'' arguably struck the most resonant chord with their portrayal of Obama and his [[AngryBlackMan "anger translator"]] Luther, whose job it was to take the President's carefully worded language and express it in the angry terms Obama couldn't (which proved a brilliant opportunity in a White House Correspondent's Dinner when Obama himself took part, steadily getting angrier and angrier - and, one suspects, revealing some of his real feelings and frustrations beneath the calm outside). This was related to a broader sense (and criticism) of Obama as TheSpock: profoundly rational and logical in thought processing, but unable or unwilling to channel the country's rage over, say, the economic devastation of the Great Recession, with most agreeing that a desire to avoid the AngryBlackMan stereotype was the driving impetus behind it (the fact that Obama was actually a big fan of Spock made this unflattering comparison really easy for columnists). Obama contrasted his Spock-like rigidity though by simultaneously cultivating an image as something of a father figure for the United States, combining an air for rigid professionalism with a visible fondness for the United States and hope for it to continue improving, encouraging American youth in particular with spurring on change.

** The man himself has shown a good sense of humor about it, once joking at the White House Correspondents' Dinner: