Barack Obama’s eventual success as president may depend on willingness to combat long-term economic problems while accepting short-term pain.

Barack Obama’s victory in Tuesday’s presidential election was in many ways a repeat of Ronald Reagan’s win 28 years ago.

The president faces the grim prospect of being blamed, at least in part, for an economic breakdown.

As the financial crisis radiates far beyond Wall Street, Mr. Bush faces an even grimmer prospect: being blamed, at least in part, for an economic breakdown.