Let's review.

You start at 12" on the ruler, they start at 24".

You start negotiating by moving to 18." They call you a socialist.

You move to 20". They call you a Marxist.

You go all the way to meet their 24". They move back to 30", and call you an incompetent, tax-and-spend socialist who hates America.

You go to their 30". They take it, pretending to do so begrudgingly, and set up their stars to oppose it.

They pass a new bill at 34". Hah! Check. Mate.

President Obama, I know you aren't a stupid man. I know you couldn't just fall for this over and over again, surrendering ground before the battle begins, then retreating further from there, and being called a radical lefty anyway.

Keeping your hands clean, and keeping your position, have always been important to you, it seems. In that, you've been brilliant. You compromise and then some, but as long as they call you a socialist, you keep your standing among the Democratic base, right?

THEIR words should convince us that you're engaged in a real fight...

I ask: If you're fighting at all, which team are you on?

News today is that you said (supposedly accidentally - good one): "You think we're stupid?"

"You think we're stupid?"

Exactly my question, Mr. President.