#con

In the time it takes to heat a TV dinner, Clinton had convinced me that he was the smartest person in the room and that I was the center of his attention. In the next 25 years, I would see countless others fall just as quickly to the Clinton Touch. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#center #clinton #convinced #countless #dinner

Obama considers himself above deal-making and back-slapping, political necessities he often delegates to Vice President Joe Biden and other lesser sorts. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#considers #delegates #himself #joe #lesser

Obama does not need to worry as much as past Democratic presidents about being labeled soft on national security - not after giving the order that led to the assassination of Osama bin Laden. No, his biggest concern is being labeled tone deaf on joblessness and debt. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#after #assassination #being #biggest #bin

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. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#convincing #credible #nation #obama #plan

Once a popular Alaska governor with a modest record of accomplishment, Palin could conceivably revive her reputation in this era of short memories. But it's hard to imagine her name atop the GOP ballot in 2016, when a cast of heavyweights who sat out 2012 will be vying for the nomination. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#alaska #ballot #cast #conceivably #could

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. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#comfortable #confidence #dedicated #father #friend

Political consultants are pugilists, masters in the dark art of negativity. Which is why it's surprising to hear Democrats such as Steve McMahon and Republicans like Rich Galen urging their presidential candidates to be more, well, positive. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#candidates #consultants #dark #democrats #hear

Say what you want to say about the rest of his presidency, including his tone-deaf response to Katrina and a war waged in Iraq on false pretenses, Bush connected with Americans in the aftermath of 9/11 because he looked as frail and unforgiving as we felt. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#aftermath #because #bush #connected #false

Shock, confusion, fear, anger, grief, and defiance. On Sept. 11, 2001, and for the three days following the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil, President George W. Bush led with raw emotion that reflected the public's whipsawing stages of acceptance. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#anger #attack #bush #confusion #days

Since declaring that she would not serve in a second Obama administration, Clinton has dismissed suggestions that she will run in 2016. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#clinton #declaring #dismissed #obama #obama administration