Obama on the Couch: Inside the Mind of the President

About this book

Even though hes three years into his term as President many Americans feel like they dont know the real Barack Obama. From the idealistic campaigner who seemed to share our dreams and who promised to fulfill our lofty expectations to pragmatic politician who has repeatedly compromised on the promises of his campaign it indeed seems as though there are two Obamas. What to make of this? How can the electorate get a better sense of its commander-in-chief and how can the President more effectively lead a nation in a moment of turmoil and crisis? These questions are of great interest to most Americans but the questions and their potential answers are especially intriguing for a psychiatrist eager to diagnose and help cure the ills that plague our country. Here Justin Frank M.D. a practicing psychoanalyst and the author of the New York Times bestseller Bush on the Couch - brings a new patient into his office and the results of his sessions are not only fascinating but they provide valuable insights that will help readers in their frustrating pursuit of the Presidents character. Obamas transformation over the course of his brief but incredibly well-examined political career has left some supporters disillusioned and has further frustrated opponents. To explore this change in behavior and Obamas seeming inability to manage the response to his actions Dr. Frank delves into his past in particular the Presidents turbulent childhood to paint a portrait of a mixed-race child who experienced identity issues early in life further complicated by his fathers abandonment. As he addresses everything from Obamas approach to health care reform his handling of the Gulf Oil spill to his Middle East strategies Dr. Frank argues that the Presidents decisions are motivated by inner forces - in particular he focuses on Obamas overwhelming need to establish consensus which can occasionally undermine his personaland his partysobjectives. By examining the Presidents memoirs his speeches and his demeanor in public Dr. Frank identifies the basis for some of his confusing or self-defeating behavior. Most significantly he looks at the Presidents upbringing and explores the ways in which it has shaped himand what this means for our nation and its future. Obama is a complex and mysterious figure who inspires many questions and great interest from Republicans Democrats and from the rabid 24-hour news cycle; this book provides what everyones been looking for: an intriguing and provocative assessment of the Presidents strengths weaknesses and even what could be called his destructive tendencies ultimately drawing connections that will enable readers to interpret recent history in revealing new ways. As Obamas first term comes to a close speculation about the future will only grow more intense; Obama on the Couch will give average citizens and pundits alike a way to help all of us anticipate what the President will do nextand what the future of our country might hold.