This attitude has infected the president’s speeches on the rest of his agenda. New financial regulations were needed because of those “fat-cat bankers.” High mileage standards for cars were necessary because otherwise “everybody drives Hummers.” High-income earners deserved higher taxes because “the playing field” has been “tilted so far in favor of the few.” Why has it been so hard for Mr. Obama to fashion a positive call to action, without all these bogeymen and villains possessing his teleprompter?

He seems unaware that his attacks are creating a vast army of people who feel personally assaulted by him. Rather than being silenced by his assaults, they have been driven to action…

The rhetoric is predictable and embarrassing. Mr. Obama rarely surprises—except to sink further into argument and anger. He constantly uses his words to agitate, provoke and divide rather than to inspire and unite as he often did in his campaign. His call in his inaugural speech “to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and . . . the recriminations” is now at odds with his attack-dog tone. He has gone from post-partisan candidate to most partisan president.