Obama's three big mistakes - David Frum

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-08-29/opinion/frum.obama.mistakes_1_president-obama-first-stimulus-barack-obama?_s=PM:OPINION

1) Obama deferred to Democrats in Congress on the writing of his fiscal stimulus. He fought for a big total, but he paid much less attention to what was included in the total. The predictable result: a stimulus that most economists condemn as very poorly designed.
2) Obama failed to mobilize the Federal Reserve to support his fiscal stimulus.
3) Obama bet his presidency on the best-case scenario.

and just for good measure:

Yes, he's encountered Republican obstruction. I make no excuse for such behavior by some figures in my party. On the other hand, Obama is hardly the first president in history to encounter obstruction. The difference between Obama and his predecessors: When obstructed, Obama usually yields.