Clinched Fists

Vainly attempting to seal the deal in which Iran gratuitously agrees to give up its nuclear ambitions? Definitely a test for Obama:

Tomorrow the U.S. will meet with Iran to seal the deal that could take the country's uranium away. Michael Adler on why the moment is the ultimate test of Obama's engagement policy.

After a meeting in Geneva that was the first fruit of President Obama’s policy of engagement on Iran comes a new encounter in Vienna. The meeting with Iran in the Austrian capital Monday is technical, with the goal of getting enriched uranium shipped out of the Islamic republic. It is also an “Audacity of Hope” moment in foreign diplomacy, a potentially transformative development which few expected and most doubt is possible. The Iranians agreed, in principle, in Geneva on October 1 to send uranium that can be used to make atom bombs to a safe place outside of the country. This would reduce the threat that Iran could use the uranium for a nuclear weapon and give time for non-proliferation talks. The question Monday is: Will the deal go forward, collapse, or perhaps what is worse, die of a thousand cuts as it is delayed?

So how'd that particular test work out?

The White House could not be reached for comment.

The Presidency!

I'll leave it up to you to figure out the paradox of how the Presidency is... a test for Obama:

In conception and execution, the presidential campaign of Barack Obama was nearly flawless, a model of consistency and discipline for almost two years. Yet amid all the oratorical flourishes of the candidate and the machine-like efficiency of his $750-million operation, there were persistent questions about Obama's resume and whether the skills that would help him win the election were transferable to the task of governing.

How does the Boston Globe grade President Obama? Not two paragraphs later, we learn:

But several veteran analysts say the leadership qualities he exhibited during the campaign should serve Obama well as president.

A test which passes on its own merits before the inauguration could even take place? Shocking!

Comcast Deals

Despite the fact that Comcast can only make NBC/Universal even more liberal, this deal is most certainly... a test for Obama:

The proposed marriage of Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable and broadband provider, and NBC Universal, a Hollywood powerhouse, presents the Obama administration with its first big chance to weigh in on the controversial issue of media consolidation, Joe Flint writes.

Surely, the Obama Administration would never deny the merger of two of its BFFs.  Which means The One will most certainly pass this test with flying colors, as usual.

Afghan Valley

Long before we hit the Period of Perpetually Pending Decisions, a valley in Afghanistan entered the books of history as the only thing it could be... A test for Obama:

JALREZ BAZAAR, Afghanistan — A year ago, the Taliban were tormenting this lush valley just miles from the Afghan capital, kidnapping people and blocking the road.

All that changed when American troops arrived in February. They dropped from helicopters and set up three camps where there had been none, expecting a fight. Instead, the Taliban put up almost no resistance and left for other areas. Now trucks travel freely and merchants no longer fear for their lives.

Never before in history have terrorists posed such an unprecedented challenge to a President as this.

State Races

Even though the White House later denied it, we all knew that the 2009 gubernatorial elections were really just... a test for Obama:

WASHINGTON — President Obama has returned to the campaign trail. He is appearing in television advertisements in New Jersey this week on behalf of Gov. Jon S. Corzine, the embattled Democrat struggling to win a second term. And he campaigned on Thursday evening alongside R. Creigh Deeds, the candidate for governor fighting to keep Virginia in the Democratic column.

The New Jersey and Virginia races for governor are the only big-ticket political contests for 2009. And fairly or not — Mr. Obama’s advisers are not alone in arguing that the significance of these races does not extend beyond the boundaries of either state — the contests are being held up as an early measure of how Mr. Obama is doing and a predictor of how Democrats might fare in next year’s Congressional campaigns.

In the age of Obama, every election is a referendum... on Obama.

Vaccine Shortages

What else could a shortage of vaccines be than a test for Obama:

WASHINGTON — The moment a novel strain of swine flu emerged in Mexico last spring, President Obama instructed his top advisers that his administration would not be caught flat-footed in the event of a deadly pandemic. Now, despite months of planning and preparation, a vaccine shortage is threatening to undermine public confidence in government, creating a very public test of Mr. Obama’s competence.

The shortage, caused by delays in the vaccine manufacturing process, has put the president in exactly the situation he sought to avoid — one in which questions are being raised about the government’s response.

No word from our cheerleaders at the Times on when it was, exactly, that the President became responsible for manufacturing vaccines.

Accepting Peace Prizes

Clearly, it's a test for Obama:

WASHINGTON — He has read the Nobel speeches of Nelson Mandela, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Elie Wiesel. He has studied the award’s rich history and its extraordinary roster of winners.

Yet when President Obama travels to Norway to accept his prize on Thursday, he faces a far different challenge than those who have gone before him: He is a wartime leader, accepting a medal that is a commendation to peace, which even he insists he does not yet deserve.

Never has a man walked the earth that is as capable of reading the speeches of his predecessors as The One.