Religion's crucial role in the lives of many people... is rejected out of hand by the political community, especially the press.
Fred BarnesObama specializes in knocking down straw men. 'I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves,' he said, implying that's the view of Republicans. It's the view of almost no one.
Fred BarnesOverreaction is one of the things that congress specializes in. I can't think of anything congress does better than overreact.
Fred BarnesConservatives won't want to hear this, but the Republican who maneuvered his way into the most impressive victory of the election was California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Okay, he's sui generis. But he won a landslide victory after moving to the center, while holding onto conservatives by not hiking taxes.
Fred BarnesPresidents with strong nerves are decisive. They don't balk at unpopular decisions. They are willing to make people angry. Bush had strong nerves. Clinton, who passed up a chance to eliminate Osama bin Laden, did not. Obama is a people pleaser, a trait not normally associated with nerves of steel.
Fred Barnes