Hypocrisy is the scarlet letter in politics.
Reasonable people can reasonably disagree on policy.
Technology and social media have brought power back to the people.
I don't really care how or why Obama got to the right place on gay marriage. I'm just glad he got there.
There's no question that many factors contribute to voters' perceptions about debates and who wins and who loses.
At some point he has to show that he has a vision of a better way. He can't just say 'The future is bleak, follow me.' Because no one will.