Obama is often called pragmatic. He is admired for his pragmatism. But pragmatism is not always the safe position; it's often in danger of walking right into an abyss. Is this not what happened when Abraham Lincoln made this statement in 1863:

If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union