Still in only his second term’s first year, his disapproval rating routinely exceeds his approval rating. His signature policy achievement fares worse. Obamacare’s disapproval margin is in double-digits in virtually every poll. And Obama’s lowest job performance ratings come on Americans’ biggest concern: the economy.

Perhaps this divisiveness should not be surprising. The goals of being unifying and bold are not necessarily complementary. Boldness can easily force an administration to take hard positions, and hard positions tend to alienate voters over time.

What is surprising is that boldness does not now fit Obama either. Recently, it has been the administration’s lack of decisiveness that has been noteworthy. Despite assuming the ability to take actions unilaterally without enabling legislative action, the administration is increasingly demonstrating an unwillingness, or inability, to make tough decisions.