No, this is not a satire piece from The Onion. And don't worry, I can assure you that you are indeed, awake so don't bother pinching yourself.

President Barack Obama actually had some nice things to say about Republicans.

Politico:

In the span of one week, President Obama has gone from villifying Republicans in Congress to calling them "principled people who want what's best for this country."

Yes, he has wined them and dined them in private, and now his public rhetoric has done an about-face as well.

In his weekly address, Obama explains he's been "reaching out to Republicans and Democrats to see if we can untangle some of the gridlock."

"We had an open and honest conversation about critical issues like immigration reform and gun violence, and other areas where we can work together to move this country forward," he said. "And next week, I'll attend both the Democratic and Republican party meetings in the Capitol to continue those discussions."

"...Making progress on these issues won't be easy," he said. "In the months ahead, there will be more contentious debate and honest disagreement between principled people who want what's best for this country.  But I still believe that compromise is possible."

That's a far cry from his address just last week, when he railed on Republicans for failing to cave in to his demand that revenue be included in a package to avert the sequester cuts and blamed them for the ensuing cuts.

"Republicans in Congress chose this outcome over closing a single wasteful tax loophole that helps reduce the deficit," he said. "Just this week, they decided that protecting special interest tax breaks for the well-off and well-connected is more important than protecting our military and middle-class families from these cuts."

The White House has repeatedly denied that it is switching strategies because the aggressive tactics didn't work. But perhaps the proof is in the pudding -- or rather the rhetoric.

Someone must have slipped something into his argula. Or he is a coldly calculating man who has switched gears because his approval ratings have gone in the tank. The president has lost credibility thanks to his tactics on the sequester, so a truce is apparently in order.

Don't expect it to last long.