...it's easy to smack down the opposition, especially when you have logic on your side and the wind at your back.
It's a lot HARDER to smack down the nominal "Dems" who act like Republicans—the Liebermans, the Bayhs, the Baucuses, the Nelsons and the Stupaks. And their enablers—the Rahms, the Reids.
These "Dems" are functionally giving the Republicans a majority right now. Sweet as today's smackdown has been to watch, it doesn't MATTER if Obama can singlehandedly talk tough to the Republicans. If at the end of the day, "Dems" hand the Republicans the actual power anyway—out of cowardice, "bipartisanship," or corporate fealty, any one will do—then the Republicans win.
As they have won on health care, for the moment at least.
When Obama can take on these "Dems" and win, then he'll have the real problem solved. And that's the change I'm waiting for.