During My Years As A Press Secretary,

No Doubt, The White House Thinks The American People Know Obama's Story. But Since The Inauguration, We've Seen Only The President's Present: His Perfect Family, His Ivy League Elegance, His Effortless Mastery Of Complex Issues. We Never See Him Sweat. And We Forget That He Ever Had To Struggle.

I Am Endlessly Fascinated That Playing Football Is Considered A Training Ground For Leadership, But Raising Children Isn't.

During My Years As A Press Secretary, I Developed A Powerful Internal Filter, Which Worked To Strip All Things 'off Message' From My Thoughts Before They Came Out Of My Mouth. It Didn't Always Work, Of Course, And I Said More Than A Few Things I Regretted.

That's Not To Say That Women's Priorities Are Better Than Men's. Rather, When Women Are Empowered, When They Can Speak From The Experience Of Their Own Lives, They Often Address Different, Previously Neglected Issues. And Families And Whole Communities Benefit.

I Think A Lot Of Presidents Learn To Be President By Being President.