In the months following his re-election in November, President Obama seemed to be on a roll. During the "fiscal cliff" showdown that rang in 2013, he forced Republicans to do something they are especially loath to do -- accept a tax increase on higher-income Americans. With liberalism on the march, Republicans alternated between a pity-party and internecine warfare over who was to blame for their predicament.
Meanwhile, conservatives' marquee annual political gathering was evolving into a minor disaster, with no time to accommodate an accomplished conservative governor (Chris Christie) but a hearty welcome for an obnoxious, conspiracy-minded billionaire (Donald Trump), who will receive yet another platform from which to promote himself.
But as bad as things seemed, second-term presidents usually see the political tide shift against them quickly. It might have already begun last week. As The Washington Examiner's Conn Carroll notes today (page 26), the president's strategy of engaging Republicans on automatic spending cuts has begun to backfire. His dire claims about the devastating effects of sequestration are being disproved one by one, and citizens are noticing that the 2.3 percent cut in federal spending has failed to bring about the end of the world.
And the biggest shift so far came last Wednesday, when Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky launched his epic 13-hour filibuster of John Brennan's nomination as CIA director. The episode instantly changed the political conversation in Washington and energized conservatives in a way unseen since last year's election. It was enough to shame the Obama administration, finally, into acknowledging that there are limits on whom presidents can assassinate and where.
