White House touts ‘successful’ 2014

Despite devastating loses in the midterm elections and a presidential approval rating that remains underwater, 2014 was “the President’s most successful year since the Republicans took over the House” according to senior presidential adviser Dan Pfeiffer.

“In many ways, 2014 was a messy, gloomy year defined by breathless, two-week news cycles focused on all that is scary in the world. … But that’s not the full picture,” Pfeiffer wrote in a blog post for the website Medium. “Through it all, President Obama advanced big pieces of the agenda he was elected to carry out in 2008 and in 2012.”

The essay was intended as a rebuttal to a Washington Post column arguing the president had the worst year of any Washington political figure.

{mosads}That column noted that Obama was forced to recommit troops to Iraq to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), had seen his leadership criticized by former Cabinet officials, and had seen poll numbers rating his competency and leadership tumble. The column also noted Russia’s incursion into Ukraine, the GOP storming back to seize control of the Senate, and infighting between the White House and top congressional Democrats.

Pfeiffer said that, although his claim would lead to “heads exploding across the Beltway punditocracy,” in the end, “people will look back on 2014 as one the most significant and successful years of this historic and tremendously consequential presidency.”

His defense of the year for the president was led by noting that 2014 was the strongest year of job growth since the 1990s. The White House has sought to refocus attention on the economy in recent days, releasing a series of reports noting increases in hiring and wages.

Pfeiffer also bragged that the president’s signature healthcare law was “saving lives” and argued “Republicans didn’t even have the heart to suggest repealing it” during the last round of budget negotiations.

Pfeiffer also cited the president’s progress on climate issues — including an agreement with China and executive orders protecting 260 million acres of public lands, as well as the confirmation of dozens of judicial nominees who “will be around decades after this administration ends.”

And the White House adviser touted the president’s new program granting deportation relief and work permits to millions of illegal immigrants.

Pfeiffer did allow that the party’s electoral losses were a blow, although he accused critics of evaluating the year through “a narrow political lens.”

“We will feel the ramifications of the midterm results for years to come as we do battle with a Republican Senate and a more conservative Republican House,” he said. “But it’s not the only measure of success.”