"I used to be a Democrat," said a quiet older gentleman who declined to give his name, sitting with his wife outside Wilson's home. "I come from a long line of Democrats. I have to say I couldn't be more disappointed in this president's job so far."

◼ Battlegrounds of resentment - PittsburghLive

What White House strategists don't get: As Americans struggle with uncertainty, they believe Obama is not providing real solutions -- and that he is part of the partisan bickering, or using his "bully pulpit" to instigate it.

What both sides' strategists don't get about the 2012 election: It is not the same as the 2010 midterms.

That cycle was a collective outcry to lessen one party's power and halt Obama's policies. The next is personal, about home, pocketbook and family, and ensuring a less uncertain future.