It's the old adage. President Obama knew he had opposition on the Neanderthal Right (not that we would ever want to include our beloved Doug R under this rubric.)

But it's the Left, amply illustrated by quite a few Mudcatters here below the line, which is hamstringing his Administration. Lefties seem to have the attitude:   "OK, We voted for you, but we wanted Kucinich. Now you have to be Kucinich."

Lefties have absurdly unrealistic attitudes on a whole range of issues.

1)   They are bitterly disappointed that Obama can't snap his fingers and end the Iraq war.

2) They want Guantanamo closed--yesterday-- with no provision for those interned there--some of whom are not really our friends.

3) They want homosexual marriage as the law of the land across the US. (Fortunately heterosexuals will also be allowed).   Problem however is that pushing for homosexual marriage is probably the single best way to bring out the foaming crazies on the Right.   The Lefties have learned nothing from 2004.

4)   Now they insist on a "public option" right off the bat, as a condition for supporting Obama's health reform.   Never mind that they would likely get the public option through the back door with Olympia Snowe's "trigger."

And there are other examples.

The last issue seems to be the most serious obstacle for President Obama in having a successful Administration.   The vast majority of Democrats, it seems, agreed health care reform needed to be done. But when compromise proved necessary, Lefties deserted the President in droves.