(CNN) -- Coming home from Asia, Barack Obama is obviously going through another rough patch in his presidency. But this time, it could be more dangerous: He is perilously close to becoming a lame duck 33 months before he leaves office. That is bad for him, bad for the country and bad for the world. The second term of a presidency often follows an arc. As Lyndon Johnson told his aides after his landslide victory in 1964, you've got about a year to get things done at home. And second-term presidents have often seized on those early months for domestic accomplishments. After that, Washington becomes mired in midterm politicking, and in your third year, people start looking over your shoulder at who is coming next.David Gergen: Obama is experiencing another low point in his presidencyHe says there's a risk Obama could be seen as a lame duck for next 33 monthsGergen: A second-term president still can be a strong leader, particularly overseasHe says Obama shouldn't diminish the potential impact of his decisions
The administration's increasing focus on _ is a welcome move, but it too has gone less well than expected.