After calling Mitt Romney a liar, suggesting that Jim Lehrer had a screw loose, and blaming Big Bird for President Obama’s abysmal presidential debate performance, the Obama campaign has finally settled on a message: Obama was simply too polite. Yes, the candidate who has termed his political opponents “enemies” and suggested that his followers physically accost those enemies was just too nice.

That’s Obama’s line, at least. “I mean, you know, the debate, I think it’s fair to say I was just too polite, because, you know, it’s hard to sometimes just keep on saying and what you’re saying isn’t true," Obama said this morning on the Tom Joyner Morning Show.

"It gets repetitive. But, you know, the good news is, is that’s just the first one. Governor Romney put forward a whole bunch of stuff that either involved him running away from positions that he had taken, or doubling down on things like Medicare vouchers that are going to hurt him long term. And, you know, I think it’s fair to say that we will see a little more activity at the next one."

If this is Obama’s next debate strategy, he has a serious problem. Attacking Romney aggressively while lying about it won’t do him any good. The problem now is that getting aggressive with Romney makes him look defensive; looking defensive with Romney makes him look passive. His record simply isn’t strong enough for him to stand on in this election cycle.