When Obama took office, he promised to be a great uniting force. He swore up and down that he would heal racial, economic, and social wounds, bringing the United States into a new golden era of cooperation and brotherhood. That didn't happen. Almost from day one, with his "Republicans can sit in the back of the bus" comment, Obama proved to be one of the most divisive political figures in American history.
He displayed a refusal to seek middle ground, an unwillingness to change, and a constant, unwavering, desire to enact any policy that diminished the country he was elected to lead. For seven years, he's worked around Congress rather than with it, and operated in defiance of the wishes of the American people. In short, he opted for standoff rather than compromise.