His message resonated and his historic election catapulted him to stratospheric approval ratings. He was a rock star and Americans eagerly anticipated the change he promised.
Three and half years have passed since that historic election. The confetti is gone, the crowds have dispersed and the enthusiasm is clearly gone.
Today, disappointment seems to be the only lasting emotion.
Disappointment because under Obama's leadership, little has changed for the better. America is deeper in debt than the day he took office. We are still completely dependent on foreign money and oil. Millions are still without work. Abandoned and foreclosed homes line our streets and America is more divided than at any point in our country's history. Our leaders have failed us. Our president has failed to live up to his own expectations and sadly, Americans have witnessed what can happen when someone attempts to lead without listening.
Not listening and refusal to compromise has been a constant theme in Obama's presidency---and it may very well cost him a second term.
***
This pattern emerged in his first month in office. After his inauguration, Obama began to push a series of bold initiatives and programs that he assured us would help stimulate our crumbling economy. Out of nowhere it seemed that solutions and programs were being hastily pushed through Congress---stimulus packages, the "Cash for Clunkers" program, clean energy initiatives and more.
With Democrat control of the House and the Senate, the president faced little resistance. As no surprise, not all Republicans were not on board. They began to voice deep concern and reservation about the cost of the stimulus programs and the legitimacy of the president's claims.
During the initial meeting with GOP leaders, President Obama responded to their concerns in a way that would later prove to be a perfect indicator for how he would lead. Obama simply and bluntly retorted, "I won."
No compromises were made. Suggestions were rejected. Opposition ignored. Obama failed to listen.
Since that day, very little compromise has taken place in Washington. Concessions on crucial pieces of legislation are nonexistent and balanced negotiations have all failed.
Americans have been pleading for a more civil tone.
Yet, President Obama has failed to help our leaders find common ground. He has done little to inspire them to be better. He has failed to remind them that the Constitution starts with the line, "We the people", not "We the leaders of our party." Instead, he has pushed his agenda and incessantly blamed his predecessor for everything that has failed. Even failures of his own policies are conveniently blamed on President George Bush.
Over and over, the president has pointed fingers and blatantly ignored those who oppose his agenda. Over and over, the president has failed to listen.
***
We saw this happen as he pushed for health care reform. He surrounded himself with trusted allies and advisors and everyone else was unabashedly ignored and excluded from contributing to the draft. Frequent closed door meetings were held and they always took place without the presence of any Republican leaders.
As details of the health care bill emerged, Americans began to voice resistance for the reform. The bill was wildly unpopular. Even members of the president's own party were reluctant to embrace it. Support for the legislation was simply not there. The president however, plowed through and refused to listen. Bribes were made and back room deals were offered in trade for votes to approve the bill.
In March 2010, President Obama signed the historic health care reform bill. It was signed into federal law without one Republican vote. It passed along strict party lines and on the day it passed, only 35% of Americans supported the measure.
To this day, it has failed to generate the support of the general public.
No compromises were made. Suggestions rejected. Opposition ignored. The president did not listen.
***
President Obama has failed to listen. For three and half years, we have watched him push an agenda, which many times felt was being shoved down our throats. We have watched him spend trillions of borrowed money.
Are we better off for it?
Obama now stands 154 days from his reelection. In the past few weeks, he has been hit with a series of bad news. The economy is still weak. Last week's job numbers show that we are far from recovery. Millions of Americans are without jobs and too many of our neighbors continue to lose their homes.
The Associated Press ran a fascinating article today called, "Few Options Left for Obama on Economy." The article highlighted the fact the stimulus accounted for at least 1 million jobs and today, those jobs have nearly all disappeared.
The president's stimulus didn't stimulate and ironically, there were plenty of leaders and economists who tried to warn him that it wouldn't---he just didn't listen to them.
So now he stands begging us to give him more time. Pleading with us to be forgiving of the slow pace of recovery. Ironically, he is now begging us to listen to him.
The problem? When a leader attempts to lead without listening, eventually there is no one left hear the plea.
This is already happening. Mitt Romney is tied with the president. His favorability ratings are surging, he has closed the gender gap and he is attracting independents. His message of fiscal sobriety is resonating and more and more people are impressed with his bipartisan record as governor.
People are taking notice that Romney's resume shows an individual who knows how to listen.
Voters are intrigued. Perhaps this is why Romney is tied with Obama in nearly every swing state and in the month of May, he beat Obama by $17 million in fundraising dollars. An EPIC/MRA poll out today shows that Mitt Romney edges out the president 46-45% in the state of Michigan.
There is no question that the White House is on notice and they must be concerned that Obama's rockstar status has diminished. To make matters worse, he is losing to a "weak," "out-of-touch," and "damaged" candidate.
Ouch.
***
The brilliance of a democracy is that it is designed to hold our leaders accountable for their actions. One vote gives voice to the voiceless and power to the powerless. On election day, even the quiet have a voice.
Soon enough, this president will see that in a democracy, the danger of not listening is that people will simply replace them with someone who will.
Go Mitt.
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