Is Obama's Presidency Being Set Up for Failure?

History was made on November 4, as Barack Obama stood in front of thousands of approving supporters at Grant's Park in Chicago, acknowledging his victory and becoming America's first black President-elect.

But while his electoral win was certainly historic, there is much to live up to in the future. And with the news media and voters projecting such high expectations of the new president, it begs the question as to whether his tenure is already being set up for failure.

Within a few hours after Obama's victory speech November 4, Twitter users not happy with the results began the only response they apparently could - set the Obama Presidency up for such high expectations he couldn't possibly come out ahead.

Comments like "We'll be watching now", and "Just see what happens in a couple of years when he can't keep his promises." Republicans, angered by such a resounding defeat, have since continued to point to potential frailties in Obama's every move, and seem to be trying to link the terrible economic circumstances to an Obama Presidency through association. One Twitter account, the day after the election, kept referring to the "Obama recession" despite the obvious fact that Obama had just been elected and had nothing to do with the economic downturn personally or professionally.

So the question now is, is the Obama Presidency being set up for failure no matter what it tries to do? Or, will it be like an Abraham Lincoln Presidency, when everyone expected him to fail, and instead he became one of the best presidents this country has ever seen?

My guess is no matter what the political pundits think, the answer lies with the voters, an awfully fickle lot by any standard. Although the election is over, the role of the American electorate is not. Future voter support could make or break an Obama presidency.

First, Obama must act quickly and decisively, but he must also be careful not to appear to be trying to take over before his January 20 inauguration, when his term will officially begin. Although voters are expecting and hoping for immediate action, their support during the transition will help Obama avoid taking responsibility for decisions that are still in the control of the lame duck George Bush presidency.

Second, Obama must walk a tight rope while making judicious yet politically savvy cabinet appointments. Slots at the top of the ladder are especially significant. Obama's challenge is to surrounding himself with the intellectual muscle he needs to get significant change accomplished quickly, but to be careful not to appoint too many white men, or two many black men, or too many men in general. Not an easy order to fill. It would be easy to alienate a sector of his electoral support if they feel his appointments are not fairly distributed.

Lastly, Obama has some high expectations to live up to. His landslide election was not a chance happening, it was a mandate from American voters to get things moving, quickly! In fact polls indicate that 45% of voters expect the Obama presidency to act quickly and decisively, no doubt leaving little room for mistakes. How critically the voters hold him to their expectations could make or break the success of his presidency in the future.

The challenges that face Obama's team are as unique as the historic circumstances of his election. The team must address a unique combination of issues that no American president has ever seen. The future of Obama's presidency relies as much upon what Obama's team does, as it does upon those who elected him. If voters stick behind Obama, through better or worse, there is a good chance his Presidency will provide many more historic moments, but without this support, his chances of succeeding will be far more limiting.