GOP Reality Show

[Labster]

Fire up the base, since at this point he probably is
losing the independents at his point.

That statement is almost
equivalent to "he is losing the election", since independent voters are
so vital for winning Presidential elections. There's only so far that your base will take you in an election.

Actually, they've given in on some pretty high-profile issues, like the debt ceiling increase.

That's your best example: they gave in on an issue that they manufactured?  The responsible way to reduce the debt is through the budget process.  Instead, Congress passed a budget that required mandated the President fund government programs, but then tried to deny the President the ability to borrow to fund said programs.  The President doesn't have a line-item veto; it's solely Congress' job to come up with balanced budgets.  I would much rather they had actually decided to lower the debt, than lower the debt ceiling.  Treat the cause, not the symptoms.
-- ∇×V