Having A Sense Of Humor Has Served

Obama Seemed Poised To Realign American Politics After His Stunning 2008 Victory. But The Economy Remains Worse Than Even The Administration's Worst-case Scenarios, And The Long Legislative Battles Over Health Care Reform, Financial Services Reform And The National Debt And Deficit Have Taken Their Toll. Obama No Longer Looks Invincible.

President Clinton Intentionally Created A Structure That Was A Little Loose. And One That Kept Him A Little In The Center. He Didn't Want One Person Filtering All The Information That Went To Him. He Had Always Operated With A Lot Of Information Coming In And A Lot Of Stuff Going Out.

Trying To Negotiate Getting A Couple Of Kids To Watch The Same Tv Show Requires Serious Diplomacy.

Campaigns Often Make Standing On Principle The Highest Of Virtues - And Listening To Your Opponents A Sure Sign Of Weakness. It's The Virtual Opposite Of What It Takes To Succeed In Office. Squaring The Circle Takes A Powerful Combination Of Skills. But Presidents Who Can Campaign And Compromise Are Generally The Most Successful.

The Exposed Nature Of Life In The Public Square Affects Leaders' Attitudes Toward Risk - And Failure.