... could a newspaper think it's reasonable to give a Republican strategist column-space to write that in order to be “centrist,” the Democratic president should let the Republicans govern.

Check out this Politico column by self-described “partisan Republican” John Feehery:

How can he revive his presidency, promote his agenda and save his reputation? Act like the Republicans have already taken control of Congress.

...

Why should Obama wait for the inevitable election disaster that will come as a result of his sharp moves to the left? Why can't he start governing from the center now, by acting as if the Republicans already control Congress?

Here are some things he can insist on as he negotiates with Congress that will help him govern like a centrist:

Insist that Republicans provide half the votes for every piece of big legislation....the president can promise to veto every bill that doesn't have at least half of the Republicans voting for it.

...

Veto all tax increases. Republicans don't do tax increases, and that keeps them out of trouble. The president should just assume that if the Republicans were in charge, they wouldn't give you a tax increase to sign. Follow their lead.

Hilarious. A Republican strategist wants the Democratic President to let the Republicans -- who control nothing, who the public holds in contempt, whose ideas have been roundly rejected in consecutive elections -- call the shots. And Politico thinks that makes for a column worth printing.

Oh, by the way: How does this even make sense?:

Reid, whose own political fortunes are very dicey in his home state of Nevada because of his own perceived lurch to the left, has thrown his lot in with the liberals and similarly turned his back on the center.

Reid is in trouble because he is seen as having lurched to the left, so he's ... Lurching to the left? This isn't analysis, it's spin. And not even good spin. Self-discrediting spin.