President George W. Bush won reelection in 2004 largely because he was seen as comfortable in his own skin, while rival John Kerry was viewed as a flip-flopping opportunist.

Most political journalists come to Washington because they're snappy writers, big thinkers, or news breakers. Me? My ticket to the big leagues had little to do with talent. It was mostly about the governor I was covering, Bill Clinton.

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

Palin seems to have forgotten that her poll ratings have plummeted since the summer of 2011.

With gridlock the norm, Congress's approval rating is below 10 percent and the public has lost faith in its national leadership.

Obama ran a hard-edged and negative campaign against Romney, hoping to convince recession-weary voters that his rival was unworthy of the job.

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.