Politics has high and low moments. Sometimes it brings out the better angels of our nature; sometimes baser instincts.

No activity I know is more of a confidence builder and at the same time more 'humility training' than wrestling.

Public decision-making does not lend itself to certitude.

America somehow thinks that leadership relates to governance, and it certainly does. But society is much bigger than governance, and some of the truly great leadership of our society is outside the governance arena.

America is very decentralized in how it supports the humanities, unlike European countries where virtually everything stems from the central government.

There's probably a little greater case for pessimism than optimism. But I do not rule out optimism.

There are words bandied about that are being misused - words like 'socialism,' words like 'communism,' words like 'fascism.