Obama has, on many occasions, said "I cannot do this alone"; that he required our help. His seeming to abandon the public option held OUR feet to the fire, and we've responded as needed. We've reminded him AND the American public that there is indeed strong support for the public option - giving the lie to RW claims of "flagging support". We've given him the covering fire he needs to move forward when it seemed we were getting passive.

In addition, he ONCE AGAIN exposed the righties as simple obstructionists - they wouldn't even accept co-ops, fer Gossakes - who want NOTHING done, and want to keep the insurance companies ripping you off.
THIS is the genius of "bi-partisanship"; forcing the GOP further and further into the whackadoodle world of their crazy base, and even further from mainstream thinking. Once he's safely marginalized the righties, he can get down to some SERIOUS business.