We're living in an era of unprecedented change, and I want to be a part of documenting it.

One of Obama's most impressive attributes is his quiet confidence: Voters sense that he is comfortable in his own skin, a dedicated father and friend who won't waste time with the phony rituals of Washington.

If history is a guide, a victory for Obama means he faces the prospect of a second term dogged by scandal or inertia.

A presidential debate is a job interview. And voters look for certain traits in people applying to be president.

If acknowledging that racial misgivings and misunderstandings are still a part of politics and life in America, I plead guilty.

Perhaps we should wait until his second term begins before carving Barack Obama's face in Mount Rushmore. Is that asking too much?

Obama might do well to remember that his fast rise from the Illinois state Senate was due in large part to an uncanny ability to make friends and find mentors.