Washington’s answer to a self-inflicted financial crisis reminded Americans why they so deeply distrust the political class. The ‘fiscal cliff’ process was secretive and sloppy, and the nation’s so-called leadership lacked the political courage to address our root problems: joblessness and debt.
This is Romney’s biggest political weakness. His policy flip-flops and the general sense that he’s not comfortable in his own skin leads voters, including many supporters, wondering about his core values.
Sitting in the Oval Office, beneath a painting of George Washington, with a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. over his right shoulder and a bust of Abraham Lincoln over his left shoulder, Obama told ‘National Journal’ that the country’s economic woes are deep and endemic.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is the most influential woman in Washington – for what she has accomplished and for what she may yet do: win the presidency.
We, the people. Manifest Destiny. Conceived in liberty. Fear itself. Ask not. Morning in America. United we stand. Yes, we can. In times of great change and tumult, presidents seek to inspire beleaguered Americans by reminding them of their national identity.
Barack Obama won a second term but no mandate. Thanks in part to his own small-bore and brutish campaign, victory guarantees the president nothing more than the headache of building consensus in a gridlocked capital on behalf of a polarized public.
If history is a guide, a victory for Obama means he faces the prospect of a second term dogged by scandal or inertia.
I’m hearing echoes of Bill Clinton, circa 1996, in President Obama’s reelection rhetoric.
Historians will likely give Obama credit for steering the country away from the brink of economic collapse in 2009.
For a man who has compared himself to Theodore Roosevelt and the nation’s challenges to those of the Gilded Age, Obama put forward a tepid agenda.
Every now and then, a presidential candidate surprises us with a truly human and honest moment.
Don’t underestimate questions from the crowd; technology has made voters more informed than ever.
Blending hard-bitten realism with long-view optimism, Obama said that every 20 or 30 years brings a new cycle of pessimism in America.
At his best, Obama promised to work with Republicans to reduce the deficit in a way that honors both individualism and community.
Anything may be possible in America, but a Palin presidency is virtually implausible.
A dose of humility goes a long way in life and in politics.
Got good news and bad news for you, Mr. President. The good news is that Chief Justice John Roberts just saved your legacy and, perhaps, your presidency by writing for the Supreme Court majority to rule health care reform constitutional.
Somebody must be up and somebody must be down. Trouble is, campaigns are messy, subtle creatures that don’t follow convenient narratives.
Like a cowboy saddling a bucking stallion, Republican leaders tried to tame the Tea Party while riding it to victories.
Election night is the easiest time to act like a grownup.