Hey, remember last week, when President Obama said that the greatest mistake of his presidency has been his supposed failure to craft an inspiring story for the American people?

“When I think about what we’ve done well and what we haven’t done well,” the president said, “the mistake of my first term – couple of years – was thinking that this job was just about getting the policy right. And that’s important. But the nature of this office is also to tell a story to the American people that gives them a sense of unity and purpose and optimism, especially during tough times.” …

“It’s funny – when I ran, everybody said, well he can give a good speech but can he actually manage the job?” he said. “And in my first two years, I think the notion was, ‘Well, he’s been juggling and managing a lot of stuff, but where’s the story that tells us where he’s going?’ And I think that was a legitimate criticism.”

Yeah, that was… precious. Especially when he followed it up with that awesome (sans-teleprompter, cough cough) “you didn’t build that“-speech — I just felt so inspired. So uplifted and empowered, ya know?

Well, the GOP has a news flash for you, sir — your storytelling has probably been the greatest accomplishment of your presidency, because the policy, well… Not. So. Much. Actions speak louder than words:

Maybe if President Obama had taken a few more policy tips from his own jobs council, like approving the Keystone XL pipeline, we wouldn’t be in quite such an economic mess right now. But he won’t — because too many of their policy prescriptions interfere with his “story.” …How awkward for him.

President Barack Obama’s Jobs Council hasn’t met publicly for six months, even as the issue of job creation dominates the 2012 election.

At this point, the hiatus — which reached the half-year mark Tuesday — might be less awkward than an official meeting, given the hornet’s nest of issues that could sting Obama and the council members if the private-sector panel gets together. …

Then, there’s the fact that some members of the commission have conspicuously declined to endorse him. And that Obama has conspicuously declined to endorse some of their recommendations. And that some of what Obama won’t endorse has been warmly embraced by Republicans, including likely GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

To cap it all off, several of the companies whose CEOs serve on the panel are involved to some extent in outsourcing — a fact that could undercut the ferocious attack Obama and his campaign are mounting on Romney over his alleged ties to the practice.