Joe already touched on tonight’s HBO documentary. Two other Obama-related items today add some context.

The first is Jeff Zeleny’s report for the NYT re: Iowa voter attitudes a year after the election. The second is a Daily Beast exclusive excerpt from David Plouffe’s memoir.

The NYT article cites, among others, John Sager a “retired electrical engineer who became a Democrat to support Mr. Obama.” Sager “believes that the president too often blames others for his troubles.” Later, Sager explains: “I don’t think he should keep hiding behind the fact that he inherited all these problems.”

In the Daily Beast excerpt, Plouffe recounts the immediate aftermath of “Bittergate,” Obama’s purportedly bungled comment about voters in “small towns in the Midwest.” At one point, as the two men are walking into an event, discussing the gaffe, Obama said, ” … this will set us back again. I can’t blame anyone but me for this. I’m sorry.” Plouffe then writes:

That might be the only time in twenty years in politics I saw a candidate confront a setback so honestly. In my experience, politicians almost always look to blame someone else, circumstances, being tired—anything but accepting responsibility. And it’s not just politicians. It’s human nature.

However you slice it, from whichever political disposition you originate, the lessons for this young administration are not rocket science, namely: Governing is much harder than campaigning. And Obama the President needs to urgently rediscover (get back in touch with) some of what made Obama the Candidate so appealing to such a broad cross-section of voters.