The Republicans’ most ingenious trick was to use procedural measures to keep bills from being brought to a vote in the Senate, so that the public would ultimately blame “the stalemate in Washington” on Obama. As his poll ratings began to drop, reaching the low forties, Democrats made the tactical error of running away from him.
共和党最巧妙的伎俩是利用程序手段让法案无法进入参议院投票，因此公众最终会把“华盛顿僵局”的责任加给奥巴马。当他的支持率开始下降、朝40%退缩时，民主党又犯了远离他的策略性错误。选民认为，就连他自己的政党都不再支持他了，于是他的支持率进一步下降。