Abbreviated Pundit Round-up: The Inaugural, flu season, and our center-left nation

Ian Reifowitz:

Barack Obama has always had a keen sense of history, both how to make it and to talk about it. He consistently offers an inclusive, unifying narrative of our country's past that helps explain his conception of our national identity. We can see this clearly in his second inaugural address and in his writings and speeches over two decades.

More from Ian on yesterday's Kagro in the Morning radio show (he's on at 45 minutes).

Mark  Blumenthal:

"Agree with me or you are un-American" is the way Republican political consultant Dan Hazelwood heard it, according to a tweet from The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza.

While that particular reading of Obama's attempt to ground his arguments in the Constitution and the views of the nation's founders may be a stretch, it raises a fundamental question: Just how many Americans agree with Obama on the more "progressive" positions he advanced in the speech?

A review of recent polling as well as a set of questions asked on a new HuffPost/YouGov online poll show that more Americans agree than disagree with the president on key issues -- in most cases, by large majorities.

Obviously, this is a center-left nation. At least, it is if you ask the people instead of the pundits.

Peggy Noonan:

Noonan: Lessons Conservatives Need to Learn

Conservatives and Republicans feel a bit under siege these days because their views are not officially in style. But the Cringe is not the way to deal with it. If you take a stand, take a stand and take the blows. Many people would think that paying more than half your salary in city, state, county and federal taxes is unjust. Mr. Mickelson is not alone.

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Lesson two came from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Conservatives on the ground are angry with them after the Benghazi hearings. Members of the Senate and the House have huffed and puffed for months: "It's worse than Watergate, Americans died." Just wait till they question the secretary of state, they'll get to the bottom of it.

Wednesday they questioned Hillary Clinton. It was a dud.

The US is still #flu-ey, but the epi-curve shows the season is on the downhill slide.  http://t.co/... #CDC
' @HelenBranswell via web
Read more about flu, politics and the political universe (as we know it) below the fold...