ROSS DOUTHAT: The Diminished President. “The administration would no doubt blame this judgment on the steady stream of miserable economic news. But it should save some of the blame for its own political approach. Ever since the midterms, the White House’s tactics have consistently maximized President Obama’s short-term advantage while diminishing his overall authority. Call it the ‘too clever by half’ presidency: the administration’s maneuvering keeps working out as planned, but Obama’s position keeps eroding.”