From Talking Points Memo:

Obama's mix of steel and patience are two of his key virtues.

But I have been surprised that he has not chosen yet to play more to, and get out among, his real constituency — particularly on this bill — the people.

Josh Marshall's comments are in response to a reader who was puzzled why Obama wasn't finding ways to get "the people" involved in his fight for the stimular package. Obviously neither of them signed up to receive email at barackobama.com during the campaign; perhaps they both cancelled once the election was over. If so, that was a big mistake. Those of us who kept the accounts open — and I'm guessing that number is in the millions — know that Obama has been communicating to and organizing "the people" not merely to support the stimulus package but to be there throughout his first term.

David Ploufe and "Organizing for America" continue to send the word: Support the President. They have even organized a weekend of houseparties for the package, and I'm not sure this has ever happened before: The mechanism of a presidential campaign being turned directly into a policy support campaign. But that's Obama and his team have done. So while the Senate dicks around and the GOP tries to convince Fox News how bad the package is, several hundred thousand citizens will meet in each other's homes and get themselves fired-up in a way they've never done before.

As another writer (I gotta start tracking these things better) wrote, Obama's primary campaign strategy was built on the slow-but-steady principle. He has a lot less time for the stimulus package than he did to plan for Iowa, but, overall, the groundwork being laid with supporters is going to pay off big. The stimulus package will pass; it will fall short of optimal, but that can be fixed later this year. Where "Organizing for America" and similar efforts will pay off most importantly will be health care. When those changes are introduced, Congress better be prepared to work cooperatively with the President, rather than the entrenched interests. "The people" will really be ready by then.