Obama Deserves Blame, Too, for Shutdown Mess

Washington is embroiled in another of its "oxymoronic showdowns" and everyone is blaming Republicans. But Daniel Henninger at the Wall Street Journal thinks Barack Obama "must bear some responsibility for what has become of politics in the nation's capital. Which is to say, the obliteration of politics." Obama has simply refused to engage in the kind of political horse-trading DC was built on. "But there are consequences to conducting an anti-political presidency, and those consequences are on view now."

For politicians, politicking is oxygen. "If they can't do politics, they start to hyperventilate. They do crazy things. Right now, Republicans are starting to look like a lab experiment involving gerbils." Democrats will protest that Obama couldn't "do business with the Barnum & Bailey Republicans." But the country was divided during Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill's legendary partnership, too. "What counterpart has Barack Obama produced? Ted Cruz." Click for the full column. (More Barack Obama stories.)