Krauthammer feeling the ruthless part of "conciliatory rhetoric as ruthless strategy"

Last night on Faux News, Charles Krauthammer had this to say about President Obama's strategy in the negotiations about the so-called "fiscal cliff."

He’s been using this, and I must say with great skill–-and ruthless skill and success–to fracture and basically shatter the Republican opposition… His objective from the very beginning was to break the will of the Republicans in the House, and to create an internal civil war. And he’s done that.

Of course Krauthammer doesn't acknowledge that the President has given Republicans a choice...to either cooperate with him on solving this issue or create an internal civil war in their own party. And so - as BooMan points out - its the Republicans who have chosen to bury themselves in their own bullshit.

As regular readers here know, this is what I've been calling President Obama's conciliatory rhetoric as ruthless strategy for a long time now. Of course he would be pleased if the Republicans accepted his outstretched hand and agreed to work together on an effective compromise. But what they get in return for their obstruction is increasing marginalization as they paint themselves into an ever more extremist corner.

Last night, Krauthammer was feeling the results of that effective strategy.