--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: President Obama inherited a broken…" description: "\"President Obama inherited a broken country mired in two wars, a financial crisis, a mortgage mess and more than we all probably even know about and has..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/don-cheadle-10276_broken_president-obama-inherited-a-broken-count_256194.jpg" --- # President Obama inherited a broken country mired in two… ![“President Obama inherited a broken country mired in two wars, a financial crisis, a mortgage mess and more than we all probably even know about and has in my opinion brought us back from the brink. But I still see my friends in no better shape and the gap widening.” quote by Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/don-cheadle-10276_broken_president-obama-inherited-a-broken-count_256194.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/don-cheadle-10276_broken_president-obama-inherited-a-broken-count_256194.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/don-cheadle-10276_broken_president-obama-inherited-a-broken-count_256194.jpg) > “President Obama inherited a broken country mired in two wars, a financial crisis, a mortgage mess and more than we all probably even know about and has in my opinion brought us back from the brink. But I still see my friends in no better shape and the gap widening.” [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The nation faces multiple crises—war, finance, housing—yet recovery is fragile and inequality grows. **In simple terms:** America is dealing with many problems and widening gaps. Key Takeaway Address systemic issues urgently. Themes politics economics social justice inequality recovery Mood concerned hopeful Type political analytical When to use this quote - government reform - community support - financial aid Key Concepts policy failure economic instability social disparity Questions to Reflect On - What policies could reduce the widening gap? - How can citizens support recovery? A Different Perspective Solutions are complex and require collective effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [Financial crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financial-crisis/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I admire President Obama. He inherited the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. That was a terrible time for America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-admire-president-obama-he-inherited-the-worst-financial-crisis/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I'm telling you, the disconnect is big, and the gap of understanding between the people in Washington, in news media, the New York/Boston/Washington corridor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-m-telling-you-the-disconnect-is-big-and-the-gap-of-understanding/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Unless we are holding ourselves accountable day in, day out, not just when there's a crisis for folks who have power and influence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/unless-we-are-holding-ourselves-accountable-day-in-day-out-not-just/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [American business would be run better today if there was more alignment between CEOs' interest and the company. For example, would the financial crisis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-mcclendon/american-business-would-be-run-better-today-if-there-was-more/) [Aubrey McClendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-mcclendon/) > [Millions of Americans were duped by the federal government and the Federal Reserve into buying homes they could not afford and failed to count…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/millions-of-americans-were-duped-by-the-federal-government-and-the/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [The Tea Party was born out of the disgust many Americans felt early in the financial crisis upon learning that the federal government was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/the-tea-party-was-born-out-of-the-disgust-many-americans-felt-early/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [It is no exaggeration to say that since the 1980s, much of the global financial sector has become criminalised, creating an industry culture that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-ferguson/it-is-no-exaggeration-to-say-that-since-the-1980s-much-of-the-global/) [Charles Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-ferguson/) > [ The economy is better than the one President \[Barack\] Obama inherited, and unemployment is lower, but the unemployment rate gap remains large. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-malveaux/the-economy-is-better-than-the-one-president-barack-obama-inherited/) [Julianne Malveaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-malveaux/) > [President Obama inherited a one trillion dollar deficit courtesy of George Bush and turned it into a three trillion dollar deficit courtesy of Karl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/president-obama-inherited-a-one-trillion-dollar-deficit-courtesy-of/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [When you inherit the level of economic catastrophe that President Obama inherited, it was a real touch-and-go situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-you-inherit-the-level-of-economic-catastrophe-that-president/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [President Obama is the kind of politician who puts promises on the record, and then calls that the record. But we are four years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/president-obama-is-the-kind-of-politician-who-puts-promises-on-the/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Well, Mr Obama inherited probably the biggest inventory of problems, certainly foreign policy problems, than any American president ever has. I think the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/well-mr-obama-inherited-probably-the-biggest-inventory-of-problems/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [Like other presidents before him, Barack Obama inherited a recession. But unlike them, he has made it worse, not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/like-other-presidents-before-him-barack-obama-inherited-a-recession/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [You could argue that Barack Obama faced in '08 a situation as bad as any president since the Great Depression. What Obama inherited from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/you-could-argue-that-barack-obama-faced-in-08-a-situation-as-bad-as/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [Every new president inherits headaches, but President Obama has inherited an entire emergency room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/every-new-president-inherits-headaches-but-president-obama-has/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) ## More by Don Cheadle > [We're really trying to give people the ability to go into a darkened room and have a couple hours of just pure enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/we-re-really-trying-to-give-people-the-ability-to-go-into-a-darkened/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [And it's not just black people. That's the other thing about this issue, it's conflated with just black and white and it's not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/and-it-s-not-just-black-people-that-s-the-other-thing-about-this/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [I was about to write that in the future I would chose my words more carefully but I'm sure I won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/i-was-about-to-write-that-in-the-future-i-would-chose-my-words-more/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [I don't know what would be antithetical to do on the other side, maybe a Tyler Perry movie or something. No, there are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/i-don-t-know-what-would-be-antithetical-to-do-on-the-other-side-maybe/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [We're not talking about you scored more points than me and I know that you won and I lost, those are clear results. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/we-re-not-talking-about-you-scored-more-points-than-me-and-i-know/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [Kids clearly help center you because you can't impress your kids. People are like, "Oh, are they so excited because you're Ironman?" My kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/kids-clearly-help-center-you-because-you-can-t-impress-your-kids/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [It's great to be in a film that's able to have people really want to become socially conscious, to walk out of the theatre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/it-s-great-to-be-in-a-film-that-s-able-to-have-people-really-want-to/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [We're trying to do what Miles Davis would have wanted us to do, which is approach it as artists with his life as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/we-re-trying-to-do-what-miles-davis-would-have-wanted-us-to-do-which/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [I think if you were to look at my resume in total you would see a lot of things that are kind of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/i-think-if-you-were-to-look-at-my-resume-in-total-you-would-see-a-lot/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [I think it’s intoxicating when somebody is so unapologetically who they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/i-think-it-s-intoxicating-when-somebody-is-so-unapologetically-who/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [Living by example - that's always a better teacher than trying to preach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/living-by-example-that-s-always-a-better-teacher-than-trying-to-preach/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [I don't believe that the U.S. needs to take a police role. I think it needs to support African nations that have said they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/i-don-t-believe-that-the-u-s-needs-to-take-a-police-role-i-think-it/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [For me, it's always just been about finding material that I think is creative and interesting and fun and something that can expand me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/for-me-it-s-always-just-been-about-finding-material-that-i-think-is/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [I also believe that you are what you have to defend, and if you're a black man that's always going to be the bar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/i-also-believe-that-you-are-what-you-have-to-defend-and-if-you-re-a/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) > [The process changes slightly from role to role. Obviously, there are different things you're called on to do. You're not digging deep for Basher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cheadle/the-process-changes-slightly-from-role-to-role-obviously-there-are/) [Don Cheadle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) [Explore all 66 Don Cheadle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cheadle/) ## More Broken quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. I felt it quivering, spitting out broken teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-fox/my-life-was-incoherent-to-me-i-felt-it-quivering-spitting-out-broken/) [Paula Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-fox/) > [Don't fix what's not broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-atkins/don-t-fix-what-s-not-broken/) [Robert Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-atkins/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [Rome, believe me, my friend, is like its own Monte Testaceo, Merelya marvellous mass of broken and castaway wine-pots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-hugh-clough/rome-believe-me-my-friend-is-like-its-own-monte-testaceo-merelya/) [Arthur Hugh Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-hugh-clough/) > [Its funny how someone breaks your heart but you still love them with all those broken pieces..!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-someone-breaks-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we don't get what we want, there's a legitimate grieving, and then the spiritual journey truly begins, because not getting what we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/when-we-don-t-get-what-we-want-there-s-a-legitimate-grieving-and-then/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) Browse all 5,851 Broken quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "President Obama inherited a broken country mired in two wars, a financial crisis, a mortgage mess and more than we all probably even know about and has in my opinion brought us back from the brink. 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