Arguing Obama: Alter, Kuttner Debate

We take the pulse of the Obama presidency with two big takes on the White House now — from Jonathan Alter and Robert Kuttner.

Barack Obama rode a tidal wave into office, into the White House. Now, a year and a half in, he’s up against a tide of oil lapping in the Gulf of Mexico.

President Obama has taken on big issues, and battled through, his way, on the economic meltdown, on health care, on financial reform.

Is he a transformative president, at a time when he promised, and the country needs, transformation?

The jury’s still out. And now the oil is gurgling, mocking from the bottom of the Gulf.

This Hour, On Point: Jonathan Alter and Robert Kuttner on the Obama presidency and the oil spill challenge.Guests:

Jonathan Alter, columnist and senior editor for Newsweek and contributing correspondent for NBC News. His new book is "The Promise: President Obama, Year One." You can read an excerpt.

Robert Kuttner, co-editor of The American Prospect magazine. His new book is "A Presidency in Peril: The Inside Story of Obama's Promise, Wall Street's Power, and The Struggle To Control Our Economic Future." You can read an excerpt.