Looking at Bloomberg…

White House officials said the ultimate shape of the deal left them well-positioned to protect Obama’s priorities before the committee. While there is no automatic tax increase in the enforcement mechanism, half the automatic spending cuts would target defense programs popular among Republicans, and Democratic priorities such as Medicare and Social Security benefits and programs for the poor would be protected. The automatic spending cuts would be delayed to coincide with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts in 2013, giving the president greater leverage to press to include tax revenue in the committee’s recommendations.

“It is certainly possible that Obama is playing a long game that will be effective over time, that despite the lumps he is taking now he would be seen in retrospect as taking a reasonably steady and balanced course, keeping his head while people on all sides were losing theirs.” Galston said.

Long game folks. Don’t underestimate Obama. I really think he knows what he’s doing here.