One year in, Obama must define himself

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/POLITICS/01/27/SOTU.reax/story.obama.sotu.pool.jpg
caption="President Obama delivered his State of the Union address." width=300 height=169]

Julian E. Zelizer
Special to CNN

In his first year in the White House, President Obama has proved to be an elusive figure. This is ironic given that his campaign to win the Democratic primary in 2007 and 2008 had been premised on the idea that voters preferred a candidate who stood for something.

For one thing, he distinguished himself from Sen. Hillary Clinton by highlighting the fact that he had been against the Iraq War from the start and never wavered in his position.

Yet in 2010, many Democrats, as well as Republicans, are unsure of who President Obama is and what exactly he stands for.

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