Obama's epiphany

Jonathan Chait, now at New York magazine, writes:

Obama also wants to clarify just who is responsible for the economy and the long-term budget. This is the hardest part. People instinctively hold the president responsible for everything that happens. They think of the president as a kind of king. Obama wants to make the point that he is not getting his way, and that the blame for the current state of affairs lies with Republicans, but he wants to do so without appearing weak. That’s why he is avoiding getting sucked into legislative negotiations that he knows won’t work.