He dug himself into a corner

This congruent conflation mixes the phrases “paint oneself in a corner” and “dig yourself into a hole”, both meaning an action that puts a person in a difficult situation.  Kudos to Eric Marsh for sending this one in.  He could not recall where he heard this one, but it could be referring to either the Republicans strategy of shutting down the government or President Obama’s statement that people can keep their existing health care coverage.  Take your pick.