To Russia with love: America's political class looks to Putin to bail them out on Syria

Still, there was a wink-and-nod quality to most of the public comments made by members of Congress who were relieved not to have to make an immediate decision about the use of military force. Even some in the president’s own party say he stumbled into a solution — and one that might slip quickly through his fingers — when he switched courses and decided to ask Congress to authorize strikes rather than launching them on his own.

“I can’t understand what he was thinking,” said one House Democrat. “He should have done it, gone on television and said ‘This is why I did it.’”

The Democrat was upset, in particular, that Obama decided to put other Democrats at political risk when he didn’t have to.

“He doesn’t have to run again,” the lawmaker said. “Be presidential.”