I see him now as some kind of a lame-duck president.
"We could have a lame-duck President for the next 20 months."
He decided that a lame-duck president could not be effective in a political role.
Such a frenzy of fund-raising is unusual for a lame-duck President.
Despite the waning days, even lame-duck presidents have much to fill their time.
"It all goes to prove how much time I have on my hands now that I'm a lame-duck president."
The loss of influence may be the usual fate for lame-duck presidents elsewhere.
Even though he's a lame-duck President, popularity and prestige can make him a formidable negotiator.
The bad blood between the administration and the Republican-led Congress could make it a tough fight for a lame-duck president.
The President's directives, he said, "show that right up until the end - this is not a lame-duck President."