Clearly, the Obama presidency hasn't wiped out racial prejudices.

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

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.

For a man who has compared himself to Theodore Roosevelt and the nation's challenges to those of the Gilded Age, Obama put forward a tepid agenda.

I've been leading newsrooms for a while now and it's been an honor serving as Editor in Chief of N.J., but I really think that my best shot at moving the needle in politics is by getting close to it - by reading, reporting, tweeting and writing.

Anything can go wrong in a debate, and Obama is not a perfect debater.

It's a deft trick to turn American exceptionalism into an exceptional political tactic.