(CNN) -- When signs of a severe economic downfall emerged more than two years ago, then-candidate Barack Obama was quick to point a finger at the man he hoped to replace.

Seventeen months into his administration, the message is often the same, and Republicans say it's time for him to drop the Bush bashing and take ownership of the problem.

"Nothing makes a president look weaker than pointing the finger at past administrations," said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean. "By blaming somebody, it looks like you are playing politics and people just want jobs. They don't care about whose fault it is. Playing the blame game only boomerangs on yourself."

Obama repeated that message this week when talking about the still-sputtering economy, twice reminding those at a town-hall meeting in Wisconsin that he "inherited" the economic mess.

It's a familiar message from his days on the campaign trail when criticisms of President Bush were as common as policy proposals.

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There's a lot of folk's that think it's way past time for The Won to quit running for president and to start running the country, correctly, if he can.

"The message has got to be optimistic and positive. It can't simply be, 'I inherited a mess and I'm doing the best I can.' It's got to be, 'I inherited a mess, but we've turned the corner and things are getting a lot better,' " he said.

The White House needs to go on a confidence campaign and perhaps take a page from President Reagan's playbook, Epstein said.

"He really needs to spell out how we are coming back and it's morning in America again," he said.

Even more people have given up on the president and just hope to survive until he leaves office or is impeached...

or something.