The surge accomplished everything it was expected to do, including most of the political progress. At this point, saying it hasn't worked approaches the delusional.

Most Democratic leaders who fought it tooth and nail, including Obama, are mostly just pretending the entire issue never happened, and that the Congressional election of 2006 wasn't all about Iraq. With the press on their side, this trick seems to be working.

In any case, my point was that it's not like the recent bailout package was Obama's first opportunity to do anything important in office. And if you think it is, that opens a whole new line of inquiry.