In the summer of 2011, when the “Grand Bargain” on deficit reduction failed, House Speaker John Boehner accused President Barack Obama of “moving the goal posts” – shifting his demands to the left.

After Boehner objected, Obama quickly moved the goal posts back and said he wanted to keep talking. But the speaker thought it was too late and the deal collapsed.

Goal-post shifting is back in style. Behind the soaring rhetoric of the inaugural address and his announcement of a bold immigration plan, the president is engaged in a carefully calibrated effort to move the debate away from the right side of the field.