PhotoBarack Obama is leaving the White House with polls showing him to be one of the most popular presidents in recent decades. That’s when Mr. Obama inherited a ravaged economy that was rapidly shedding jobs and forcing millions of people from their homes. The stimulus did both — preserving or creating an average of 1.6 millions jobs a year for four years. Against heavy odds, Mr. Obama first managed to persuade the Chinese to join the effort. Mr. Obama never would have gained the office without that unflagging optimism, which inspired a generation of young voters who saw in him a new kind of leader.

Source: New York Times January 14, 2017 19:30 UTC