The approach has left some in the advocacy world nervous and wondering why the most powerful man in the country isn’t adequately using the bully pulpit on such an emotionally wrought issue.

“He can’t just be the ‘eulogizer in chief.’ He also needs to put the full force of his office into the legislative process. Otherwise it will seem like he’s lost hope.” said Peter Ambler, executive director for the gun safety group Giffords. “I think he can have an impact if he and the whole White House swing into action.”

White House aides and some close allies say the current posture won’t likely change soon. Publicly injecting himself into delicate gun control negotiations in the Senate could backfire, since few across Washington expect such talks to seriously advance, they argue. So could taking matters into his own hands by immediately issuing executive actions to crack down on firearms, which risks sending Republican lawmakers otherwise open to negotiating back to their respective corners, people close to the talks relayed to POLITICO.