There was something ineffable in the air throughout 2009. At first, it was the prospect of change, a fuzzy promise that propelled candidate Barack Obama to victory in the November 2008 U.S. presidential campaign. His "yes we can!" slogan captured the imagination of U.S. voters and millions more around the globe.
That message mixed in equal parts optimism, the prospect of change and a shared sense of responsibility for determining the future. It was inevitable that the high hopes created by his election win would be deflated as the reality of governing set in.
The first year of Mr. Obama's tenure was marked by the gap between his soaring rhetoric and the painstaking compromises of politics. On a host of issues, from nuclear disarmament to climate change to closing detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Mr. Obama managed to both infuriate his opponents and disappoint his supporters. A close reading of his record suggests that he has changed the tone of discourse and made real progress in every field of endeavor, but such a nuanced assessment is hard to come by.