According to a Public Policy Polling survey, most Americans find lice and colonoscopies more appealing than Capitol Hill.

Blending hard-bitten realism with long-view optimism, Obama said that every 20 or 30 years brings a new cycle of pessimism in America.

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.

Obama still has work to do with the vision thing. Convincing voters that he has a credible, practical plan to turn the nation around is a process, not a speech.

The fact that Obama is getting criticism from the left and the right might reflect his understanding of the underlying political dynamics.

Don't underestimate questions from the crowd; technology has made voters more informed than ever.

At his best, Obama promised to work with Republicans to reduce the deficit in a way that honors both individualism and community.