The President Of The United States Is Powerful

It isn't quite as simple as, "if Joe Manchin won't vote for this, I'm going to institute full communism and nationalize the coal industry," but the president certainly has a lot of power to do things! One can always make arguments for not doing this or that, on a case by case basis, but the general point is valid. 

On many issues, "I would prefer if Congress gave me legislation doing X but I actually have the power to do the second best thing, which is Y" is completely true.

Also sometimes Y is actually the first best thing.  

There are people in the administration who have a psychotic level of opposition to student loan forgiveness (yes and these are the good guys), but, you know, "I wanted a child tax credit extension but this is the next best thing I can do" is an appropriate way to think about things!