How Obama can reset his presidency

My new column for the FT has some advice for the president.

It is not too late for healthcare reform, or for this administration. Mr Obama does not need a personality change, or a new ideology. But he does need to remember that he is the president of all Americans, not the passive facilitator of the Democratic party in Congress.

He must start leading. He must stop apologizing to the progressive left, and find partners in the center and the moderate right. With luck, the Republicans' 41st seat in the Senate will force him to do this - but he should never have needed forcing. Yes, Republicans scenting victory will try to rebuff him. But if Mr Obama makes his efforts persistent enough and public enough, he can make them pay a price for that.