This retreat’s worth noting if only for the handy new tag line that both progressives and conservatives will use in the future to describe Barack Obama. The street artist who created the iconic poster image of Barack Obama — and spawned uncountable parodies and adaptations — has grown disenchanted with the supposed master of “HOPE.” Shepard Fairey told Esquire Magazine that Obama’s performance was “not even close” to the hype:

Do you think Obama has lived up to your “Hope” poster?

Not even close.

How come?

Obama has had a really tough time, but there have been a lot of things that he’s compromised on that I never would have expected. I mean, drones and domestic spying are the last things I would have thought [he’d support]. I’ve met Obama a few times, and I think Obama’s a quality human being, but I think that he finds himself in a position where your actions are largely dictated by things out of your control. I’m not giving him a pass for not being more courageous, but I do think the entire system needs an overhaul and taking money out of politics would be a really good first step.

Right. And has Fairey learned that promises of change and transformation don’t mean much, especially coming from Democrats? Not even close. In fact, he’s inclined to back Hillary Clinton, the most establishment candidate in the race from either party, surpassing Jeb Bush. He’s more angry over campaign finance issues, telling Esquire:

Then there’s the idea that the people who you are going to have to listen to are the people that are going to give you the biggest donation. That means lobbyists, special interest groups, and corporations are going to have politicians eager, disproportionally.

Right. And has Fairey noticed the connections between all of these (and more) and the Clinton Foundation? Apparently not, but then Fairey offers this complaint about the American electorate:

We also need a public that isn’t so uneducated and complacent. I hate to say Americans are ignorant and lazy, but a lot of them are ignorant and lazy.

Right. And Fairey’s silly propaganda helped feed that in 2008, too. The problem for Fairey is that not enough of the voters are ignorant and lazy. That’s why Obama’s had a tough time — and why Republicans ended up taking control of Congress and a record number of state legislatures during Obama’s tenure. Do you know what those trends, especially the latter, spell?

Hope.