Debating the legacy of President Obama

Conservative commentator Matt Lewis joined MPR News host Kerri Miller to discuss President Obama's legacy and his upcoming State of the Union speech.

Lewis noted that it's too early to say what Obama's legacy will be. "That's something historians do years later," Lewis told Miller.

When asked if he thought Obama had been a good president, Lewis said, "I think he's been a very good politician. At this point, I think the country is really hurting. I think that in some ways, Barack Obama's presidency has contributed to the rise even of Donald Trump. I don't want to blame him entirely for Trump."

Citing national concerns over the rise of ISIS and relations with China and Russia, Lewis said,"It feels very chaotic right now, and I think it's a little bit of a Rorschach test, depending on who you are, how you're going to judge this presidency."

To hear the full discussion with Matt Lewis on Obama's presidency, use the audio player above. Last week, MPR New host Kerri Miller spoke with James Fallows about Obama's foreign policy successes and failures.