Did he just seal his own coffin?

Obama already has a high chance of getting re-elected unless the GOP can actually find someone who isn't a complete nut case to represent them. I mean really all the people so far who have talked about running for president under the GOP Flag are either nut cases or people I haven't really heard much about. Of course the Extreme nutcase for the GOP hasn't stated yet if she is going to make a run at it. No Obama right now is doing better than Regan and some other presidents in the past so he has a good chance at getting his second term. He would have to really mess it up. I actually like the fact he is willing to work with the GOP and listen to at least a part of what they are saying unlike the far left Dems who think meeting in the middle on some issues is a bad thing.

I don't really think just one single issue can keep any President from reelection unless it's a REALLY big one. However, whether it's fair or not, if something isn't done and every middle-class American has his or her take home pay shrink starting in January and if two million or more unemployed people are left with no income at all the President is going to get much of the blame for the suffering which certainly will be done. Annie

He (Obama) has got to stop giving me false hope. IMO ANYTHING that keeps him from re-election is just fine with me!

I think his whole compromise on the tax "cuts" was an effort to help himself in 2012. His numbers have already improved and it hasn't even passed yet. Some of the more liberal Democrats may be upset by it but they won't be enough to ditch him as the party's candidate for 2012. Obama reluctantly and belated saw, after the midterm elections, that increasing taxes which is what the not renewing the "cuts" would be, would have been very bad for him in 2012. One can only hope that taxes or not increased and that Obama is not re-elected in 2012.

Yep if congress does not come to an agreement and EVERYONES taxes go up...people will get mad. Real mad. The president is the poster boy for the government so he will take the blame. So it could really hurt him when he re-runs. But really everyone should be mad at congress. They write the bills. They vote on them. they pass them or don't. The president can only sign or veto it. So if it never makes it to his desk he really can't do much about it except try to put preasure on them to do something. He can't MAKE them. So if nothing gets done...blame congress. Not Obama. I am not an Obama fan...but I think we should put the blame were it truely belongs.