Reply to "Is Barack Obama the biggest disappointment in living memory?"

I'm not so sure about Tony Blair. Disappointment? Those of us in the party could see it coming. I well remember electing a local teacher to be a prospective candidate. The decision was overturned and an approved candidate parachuted in. Mysterious men in suits appeared from nowhere, and families who had given years to the Labour/trade Union movement were suddenly branded as commies! My biggest disappointment was Gordon Brown.

Have to disagree on both Garage Joe!  IMO, even the most pessimistic 'seen it all before' lefty voters would have struggled to predict that a Labour PM who "didn't do God" and argued for the 'third way' in international affairs pre 1997, would have ended up exceeding the US arse kissing of the Tories 1979-97, and to a Republican born again bigoted right wing idiot hick!

I didn't view Brown as a saviour nor as a disappointment.  His policies were slightly to the left of Tony's.  He was almost as strong in his faith of the capitalist market to deliver prosperity as Blair.  When the crap hit the fan, Brown bailed out the banks not because he loved bankers, but because he could see that not doing so would lead to millions not being paid and a financial meltdown.  Brown spent big to keep the economy on the tracks at a very key time. I'd hate to imagine what would have happened if idiots like Cameron and Osborne had been in office during the credit crunch.