I agree with Chait's blunt assessment that "Bullshit works" but "Bulworth doesn’t," which may surprise, given that I've spent two posts this morning urging the president to "go Bulworth." But, as always, context matters. Chait explains:
Any political scientist will tell you that the scope for possible legislation in this term is very narrow: The median House member is a very conservative Republican who represents a district that voted for Mitt Romney, and whose biggest political risk is losing a primary to an even more conservative Republican.
But most political reporters and analysts don’t pay attention to the political science. They like narratives that revolve around the president as a protagonist. When you confront them with structural analysis that confounds their narratives, they just get upset with you.
In short, for Obama to go Bulworth with the intent of accomplishing much of anything in the 113th Congress is almost pure fantasy, as I earlier labeled the White House's mumbo-jumbo about "focusing" on job creation etc. etc. in the midst of a full-blown GOP hysteria attack that's quite unlikely to abate. The mumbo-jumbo sounds silly and looks silly mostly because it's so immensely, so conspicuously silly to anyone paying any attention.
No, if a focused Bulworthing there be, it must be dedicated to excising the pseudoconservative tumor, in 2014. Otherwise we'll be doomed for another two years, as will the entirety of Obama's second term. The task of 2014 is herculean, but doable--if Obama and party start now.