No one wants to bare his throat for a futile political objective that has little chance of succeeding. That is why the Syria fiasco is so damaging--it tells 'rat incumbents that they have nothing to gain and a lot to lose by hooking up with the pathetic, aimless wreckage of "hope and change."
Initially, a lot of Democrats, Republicans and major leftists were on board the Obama War Monger train and were publicly backing a strike on Syria. Then suddenly, Obama publicly deferred to the leadership of Putin and everyone who backed Obama was humiliated. These people do NOT want to put themselves out in front for Obama again, as you have said. It's time for them to become the anti-Obama before it's too late.
I think a lot of Democrats are looking sideways at Obamacare now that the major Unions are furious at what is going to happen to their health care plans. The Unions are probably melting the phone lines to Democrats in the House and Senate. Not only Obama might be facing defeat, but Reid might be facing defeat in his own Senate. He is in no danger election wise, but his colleagues might not be feeling too secure going in to 2014. It's starting to get like herding cats now, and Reid must be worried. The wheels of the bus go round and round.