This is Romney's biggest political weakness. His policy flip-flops and the general sense that he's not comfortable in his own skin leads voters, including many supporters, wondering about his core values.

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

I'm hearing echoes of Bill Clinton, circa 1996, in President Obama's reelection rhetoric.

A concrete agenda and landslide victory might not even guarantee a president his mandate in a capital as polarized as Washington.

Political reporters and political professionals rushed to judgment against Romney because we crave clear, unambiguous story lines.

Once a popular Alaska governor with a modest record of accomplishment, Palin could conceivably revive her reputation in this era of short memories. But it's hard to imagine her name atop the GOP ballot in 2016, when a cast of heavyweights who sat out 2012 will be vying for the nomination.

You can almost see voters nodding their heads at home: The public's faith in politicians and political institutions has been on a steep and dangerous decline for decades, because elected leaders fail to deliver.