So, Obama wasted time talking to the Republicans about the stimulus, weakened the bill on their behalf, and in return they trashed the bill in the media and voted 100% against it.

I'm sure various Obamians will argue that he played this whole game with the Republicans just to control the narrative at some unspecified future time, or that it's always worth opening the door to your opponents even when they are scum who want to destroy you, or that it's more important to Change the Tone.

Well, the thing is, Obama is not Batman. He does not always have just the right gadget on his Obamabelt, or a secret plan that will befuddle his opponents. Sometimes he is, and will be, wrong. Sometimes he does, and will, make mistakes. He was wrong to to think that he could find common ground with a dishonorable opponent, and it was a mistake to deal with the Republicans.

As for the narrative, if the Dems don't get this bill back up to par in conference, and it works poorly as a result, the Republicans will say "OMG, we totally gave him everything he wanted and Reid and Pelosi were super mean and now look, we had a way better bill just ready to be pulled out of our ass." And all the media idiots will say "oh-ho ah-hah, does this statement from the Republicans make Obama look weak, stupid or like a big silly goose?" 

You control the narrative by taking control of the narrative. You don't take control of the narrative by letting your enemies dick around with you and then pretending you have some super poli-ninja backflip maneuver in store for them.