“I’m confident in the future but I’m not content with the present,” said President Barack Obama on his 100th day in office. Two public events were organized to mark the “Hallmark holiday” and Obama emphasized that the administration is “off to a good start, but it is just a start.”

When Obama was elected President of the United States, many commentators felt that it was the twilight of American hegemony. The international balance of power was shifting and other nations were emerging and resurging. People wondered if Obama could change the trajectory and restore US global leadership.

After only 100 days, analysts and pundits are passing out grades and listing achievements and failures. It’s too early to measure the success of the administration’s domestic initiatives and foreign policy actions, but it’s a promising beginning. President Obama softened America’s image and reassured the world.

Believe it or not, this was the easy part and the next 100 days are critical. Not enough has changed, but hope remains.

Image from the Economist.