Airdate: Obama: 8 Years of Power

As the US Presidential Race heats up, SBS airs Obama: Eight Years of Power which looks at how a President tried to reshape the United States and the cost to himself, his party and the nation.

This is a 4 part UK series also known as Inside Obama’s White House.

It begins with a double episode this Sunday night.

When Barack Obama was elected, the world cheered. Not only was he the first African American President, he inspired hope and trust everywhere. His promises – to end the war in Iraq, close Guantanamo, fight climate change, reform American healthcare – seemed to mark a new era of civility and hope. What happened instead was the worst economic collapse in living memory, a Republican opposition that refused any sort of cooperation, and the rise of a populist anti-government Tea Party.

Episode One:
A month after his historic election victory, Obama has to put all his plans for change on hold to pass the largest stimulus in history. He promises to close Guantanamo within a year, but 7 years later, it’s still open.

Episode Two:
Obama overruled political advisors who recommended against the reformation of health care. Seven presidents had tried and failed before him. Within weeks of the launch, members of Congress were confronted by angry Tea Party protesters, and the Republican pollster who came up with their rallying cry explains how he did it. By the next elections, Obama lost more seats in Congress than any President since 1938.

Sunday, 18 September at 8.35pm on SBS