Good point, rational strategy. But given the veritable blizzard of failed opportunities and half-assed policy analysis that Obama's presidency has come to represent, it's hard to see a way to pry the conversation away from an endless recapitulation of his failures- on the progressive side, his failure to use the immense pile of political capital he entered office with for any recognizable purpose at all, and on the conservative side, the perpetual hypnotic anger mantra- the repetition of the evil socialist theme with all it's derivations and permutations.
He's made himself into an increasingly attractive icon for incompetence, as well as a lightning rod for bile.
That's his most incredible accomplishment so far.

It's not hard to see how he managed to create a perfectly neutral screen on which the frustrated masses could project their hopes.
It's hard to see how he missed the fact that the same screen, in the absence of results, would hold an image turning to anger and bitterness.

 "Hell hath no fury like a woman (named "Hope"?) scorned."

Anyone remember Keith Laumer's wonderful character Reteif of the CDT? And Ambassador Magnan?

Perhaps he'll do a "No. 1968 with pathos"- LBJ with youthful pathos and a dash of "It just couldn't be done" thrown in, and fold his cards. And boogie before the house falls in.

Gore Vidal was right.


Capitalism searches out the darkest corners of human potential, and mainlines them.