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For months, I have been among those finding it difficult to see how Barack Obama might lose the election to Mitt Romney. Events of the past week have changed my mind. If Obama is not re-elected, the blame should fall on his own failure to lead.

My feeling is not an overreaction to the latest news. Obama’s gaffe about “the private sector is doing fine” was a blunder, but not fatal. Also poorly handled was his Administration’s allegedly leaking of highly classified information about secret technologies designed to stop Iran’s nuclear program, but this will soon be forgotten. The failed Wisconsin recall was repudiation and a big mistake for organized labor, but exit polls showed Obama with a healthy lead there over Romney. Modest job creation in April and May is a bigger problem should it continue, but Obama still could make the case we are better off than at the height of the recession.

However, each of these failures is a symptom of larger recurring behaviors from Obama that allow his opposition to define the debate, and leave his allies discouraged. Obama has been AWOL on his two greatest legislative victories, the economic stimulus and health care reform. From day one, he gave Congress too much latitude in finalizing both bills and has never put up a spirited defense of either.