perhaps. though it is equally likely that the currents were stronger than any one person could shift. in recent years america has gone through enormous economic, technological, political and cultural change, and in some parts of the country there has been a backlash to that change and to an african-american president. it remains unclear whether the country was ready for obama's vision. the most dramatic bet he made was healthcare. he spent the first few years of his presidency and all of his political capital on passing it. and i would argue that even if trump finds a way to repeal and replace it, it remains an historic achievement. obama did what seven presidents failed to do, he made healthcare a fundamental right. it is the signature achievement of a consequential president. but presidential legacies also exist above and beyond laws and policies. we remember john f. kennedy for the energy, vitality, elegance and intelligence that he brought