Should a President admit mistakes?

Maybe if Obama could admit a mistake he would be able to turn the tables on this Republican Congress. Recently he kind of admitted a mistake, remember the "too much policy, not enough politics" gambit? Only in this case, I'm thinking too much "politics."

Disclaimer--I did not follow the health care debates in detail. But I've read two months of blogs and I'm getting the impression that Obama cut a deal with the insurance companies which rather angered his base. In fact, the insurance companies are receiving billions, for example, to offset some of their costs in complying with the legislation. Only now, the Republicans want to repeal the legislation, except that O'Connell said Obama would veto the repeal, but no matter, he will just reintroduce a repeal motion every week. Obama has said, go ahead try it- start with the pre-existing conditions and guarantees for the young which folks all love.

Do y'all get the idea that the can is being kicked down the road so that we can have another election on the same topic two years hence? Sounds more to Republicans' benefit than Democrats.

Is Obama just going to allow Republicans the high ground on the health care bill for two more years, or is there a way to surprise the Republicans by owning up to a mistake?

Now I've never been elected to anything since being voted the "most cooperative" in my high school--something which has cursed me throughout my life in this dog eat dog world. My advice to the President is, "Sir, cooperation never works, take it from me." 

However, suppose the President stood up strong and said something along this line. "I made a mistake. The insurance companies got too good a deal. Let's gut this bill and make it a win/win for the American people"

From what I can see about five million Democratic bloggers would instantly feel better and might reconsider running Bernie Sanders against Obama in the 2012 primaries. Republicans would be flummoxed. "What the hell do you mean saying you're going to gut the bill when we're saying we want to gut the bill".

As for me, I would love to see a surpirse, a game changer, throw the pit into their face for a change. If Obama could admit a mistake and throw the thugs off stride, I'd be shouting three oles and at least a couple of sacre bleus.