Leid Stories - 03/07/13

President Barack Obama indeed has been smacked down by the Republicans. No doubt about it. It’s fair warning that he needs to get his act together. But can he? The president appears to have more political burdens than he reasonably can handle – a continuing checkmate in Congress, a ragtag Cabinet with no sense of direction, budget and economy woes galore, and now, factionalism within the party. But first comes appeasing the Republicans. They’re serving up hefty portions of crow and humble pie, and Obama’s got to eat it.