Obama Sees Defiance from Democrats

New York Times: “For four years, President Obama counted on fellow Democrats to rally to his side in a series of epic battles with Republicans over the direction of the country. But now, deep in his fifth year in office, Mr. Obama finds himself frustrated by members of his own party weary of his leadership and increasingly willing to defy him.”

“In recent weeks, disgruntled Democrats, particularly liberals, have bolted from the White House on issues like National Security Agency surveillance policies, a planned military strike on Syria and the potential choice of Lawrence H. Summers to lead the Federal Reserve. In private, they often sound exasperated describing Mr. Obama’s operation; in public, they are sometimes only a little more restrained.”

Major Garrett:
“Taken together, Syria and Summers therefore represent–by history’s
decree in the case of military power, and by Obama’s own grandiose
vision of the Fed’s role in the economy–the most important second-term
presentations of power. And Senate Democrats were Obama’s undoing in
both cases.”