About Last Night

Economically, the proof of the stimulus will be in the numbers this time next year; politically, the president's presser last night confirmed to me that he knows exactly what he's doing. The resilience of partisanship and cable-driven posturing?

I don't think -- I don't think I underestimated it.  I don't think the American people underestimated it.  They understand that there have been a lot of bad habits built up here in Washington.  And it's going to take time to break down some of those bad habits.                  

You know, when I made a series of overtures to the Republicans -- going over to meet with both Republican caucuses, you know, putting three Republicans in my Cabinet, something that is unprecedented, making sure that they were invited here to the White House, to talk about the economic recovery plan -- all those were not designed simply to get some short-term votes.  They were designed to try to build up some trust over time.

And I think that, as I continue to make these overtures, over time, hopefully that will be reciprocated.   

And what will endure after the dust settles? That the president did his best to reach out, that he'll keep doing so, that if one person acts like an adult, in time, the others may have to get out of the play-pen. The process of bile-removal and drama-reduction is not quick; but Obama's consistency, like a solid emotional federal reserve, will grind slowly on. He's got this.

(Photo: Saul Loeb/Getty.)