and yet i think the public is sort of tuned out from this, and it's sad. i think people are really depressed, people who are suffering right now, not to mention poor people, but middle class people who can't get jobs, have family members that can't get jobs, they must regard washington by large as a relevant joke. >> you explained one of the reasons you wrote this piece was because you have started to fear for president obama's reelection chances. when you think about those overall prospects and when you think about the president's political challenge about trying to get reelected next november, do you think there is sort of time and political space for him to reclaim the populism that you're suggesting he ought to sort of pursue? >> i think -- look, absolutely, there's a long time between now and election day. i should start with the fight now about the debt ceiling. he's got to -- he's already