Paul Waldman asks whether the president has finally gone a step too far in compromising with Republicans.
From the moment Obama emerged on the national scene, his ability to weave a compelling narrative around himself and his candidacy was one of his greatest strengths. As I argued back in 2006 (and elaborated on in 2007 and 2008), Obama brought context to the debates of the moment and established himself as the vehicle of our national deliverance. We should not allow the despair of the moment to make us forget the extraordinary accomplishments of the past two years, which included a stimulus that was comprehensive, if too small, financial reform, student-loan reform, the saving of the auto industry, and above all, the passage of the Affordable Care Act. But two years into Obama’s presidency, a new story is being written. It’s a story of failure, mounting frustration, and the loss of hope. The administration no doubt sees the spread of this story as deeply unfair, but it is resonating more and more with those who were once his most ardent supporters.
