"Policies Are Only as Good or Strong as the Governing Coalition That Holds Power"

"Worst of all, President Obama continued to underestimate the ferocity of the new generation of Republicans who were practicing a new style of confrontationist, smash-mouth politics that left little room for compromise with the other party. They were aided by a conservative media universe where reason-based arguments depending on facts and analysis were secondary or irrelevant, as spin, hyperbole, and partisan slander were the weapons of choice. While President Obama was playing chess, more and more congressional Republicans were playing tackle football."

Julian E. Zelizer at The Atlantic writes that the "threat to [Obama's] legacy is becoming clearer by the day."