Obama's visits to Mexico has caused many people's hopes to be raised. Through assurances of helping the United States southern "partner" and sharing the responsibility for the drug cartels and the war on drugs, it could be that the US and Mexico are starting a "new era" in US-Mexican relations. Obama and Calderon both made commitments for a new and increased connections in the economy. However when it comes to real actions, there was little to show. The Mexicans themselves are happy for now because of the President's expressions of good will, but some commentators are urging the people not to get their hopes up do to previous meeting with many promises turned back on. Mexico's top two priorities, renewing the assault weapons ban and the restart of the NAFTA pilot program, were left where they were. Much of Obama's purpose in this visit was to undo the damage done by the previous administrations characterization of Mexico as a failed state. "Although Mexicans generally saw the Obama visit as purely symbolic, they were gratified that issues such as immigration reform also got an airing. In Mexico, as in Europe, Obama benefits from simply not being George W. Bush." The visit shows how the United States and Mexico are now going to go forward into a new era of diplomacy and common goals rather than through purely opportunisitic ideologies portrayed by previous administrations
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