Reestablishing the Narrative

The Washington Post's Michael D. Shear explains how it will be done:

Obama's return to Washington from 10 days in Martha's Vineyard and a quick stop in New Orleans to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina will begin with an address to the nation marking the end of combat operations in Iraq. Days later, he will preside over the start of a new round of Middle East peace talks in Washington.

Shear notes that this strategy is not without its potential pitfalls: it could seem incongruent with Americans' concerns about the economy, and even to the extent that this message does resonate it also raises expectations in a way that could make the President's job more difficult down the line (particularly in a reelection bid).

That said, as much as the Beltway press is obsessed with the political melees of the past few weeks, the fact is that a great many voters simply are not paying attention right now -- but they will be starting around labor day. And the image of an assertive, activist President who is getting things done (particularly popular things) cannot hurt as the President's party heads into what by all appearances looks to be a brutal midterm election.