Supporting public sector unions in Wisconsin must be hurting Barack Obama. We know because he is using the New York Times to back away from his earlier statements and the tactics of his own Organizing for America.In fact, the White House says the involvement of the DNC and OFA “were overblown from the start”, but even the Times can’t help but note

Before Mr. Obama complained late last week of an “assault” on the unions by the Republican governor in Wisconsin, Scott Walker, the Democratic Party had alerted its volunteers in Organizing for America to support the protests there and elsewhere, seeing an opening to show solidarity with the labor movement and rev up the party’s liberal base ahead of the 2012 elections.By the weekend, national party officials were taking credit for encouraging the protests, especially through the use of Twitter and other online social networks.

The White House now is forced to claim the DNC and OFA went forward without talking to the White House political team. Riiiiggghhhhttttttt . . .The question, of course, is why? Why the walk back and the distancing? Let me suggest that this White House understands Barack Obama continues to do poorly in polling with independents. His gut and preference may be to side with the socialist hijackers of the taxpayers we call public sector unions, but he can’t be too bold and upfront. That hurts him with independents.Nonetheless, we need to remember — it was Barack Obama’s own Organizing for America taking credit for the union antics in Wisconsin that have escalated to the verge of violence.