The President hoped to return from Europe to a bipartisan lovefest in the Rose Garden where he would schmooze with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi as he signed an immigration bill. Instead, he will watch the Senate vote over their confidence, or lack thereof, in his Attorney General. So much for bipartisanship…so much for accomplishment. Jim Rutenberg lays it out.

The breakthrough on the “grand bargain” on immigration a few weeks ago had brought new life to a White House under siege, putting a long-sought goal suddenly within reach. After many grim months, there was almost giddiness at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

But that early euphoria only made the grand bargain’s grand collapse on Thursday night all the more of a blow, pointing up a stubbornly unshakable dynamic for President Bush in the final 19 months of his term: With low approval ratings and the race to succeed him well under way, his ability to push his agenda has faded to the point where he can fairly be judged to have entered his lame duck period.

So sad. I’m happy to see this story getting played this way. I half expected the media to lay it all at the Democrats’ feet.