The sixth year of a two-term presidency is rarely kind. The public’s initial romance with the president has faded. The brief momentum he thought he earned by winning reelection has faded too. The White House doesn’t set the agenda any more; events are in charge now. …
And if the past is any predictor, Obama’s plight is likely to get worse before it gets better. The midterm congressional election has almost always taken seats from the second-term president’s party, making his job even harder.
So what are the chances Obama can defy the historical pattern and turn his sixth year into a success? CONT.
Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times