The teachers' unions that block school reform have done serious damage to the union brand. The public no longer views unions as their friend, much less their champion. They view them as corrupt, intransigent and more interested in protecting their political clout within the Democratic Party than protecting their members or even school children.

The Republicans want to turn Medicare into a voucher plan that will end guaranteed coverage of medical bills for the elderly.

When you hear someone delivering a divisive message, that's endangering our country that you stay up and say, you know, as an American, I do not think what you're saying is good and right. And if you do in a peaceful manner, you have every right.

Hikes in the debt ceiling - without any political demands from the opposition party - had been routine until President Obama took office.

I'm not a predictable black liberal.

In the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore got more votes than George W. Bush, but still lost the election. The Supreme Court's ruling in Florida gave Bush that pivotal state, and doomed Gore to lose the Electoral College. That odd scenario - where the candidate with the most votes loses - has happened three times in U.S. history.

As President Obama is inaugurated for a second time, the biggest political surprise is that gun control is now key to his political legacy.