Obama is not exactly prone to compromise either. Bill Clinton reduced welfare. Reagan raised taxes. With our system of government, there has to be real compromise or there will be stalemate. That is why a pragmatist has a much better chance being a good president. The idea that Obama tried to work with the pubs on healthcare is not compromise. No republican wanted any part of that bill and neither did the majority of Americans. The way that bill got passed was going to make everything else hard going. To smooth that over, Obama would have had to take seriously something that the pubs were concerned about. I can't recall that ever happening. Also the Paul Ryan invitation and call out was the best example of how not to work with the other side.