#dent

Barack Obama may have found the answer to his biggest rhetorical challenge: When millions of voters are unemployed or underemployed, how does a president simultaneously sound realistic and optimistic? ↗

— Ron Fournier

#barack #barack obama #biggest #challenge #does

By nominating Chuck Hagel to be his Defense secretary, President Obama is putting forward an aloof contrarian who doesn't suffer fools - a striving politician who considers himself above politics. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#aloof #chuck #considers #defense #fools

Climate change was a point of division between Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney. The president declared climate change a global threat, acknowledged that the actions of humanity were deepening the crisis, and pledged to do something about it if elected. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#acknowledged #actions #between #change #climate

I was amazed at the house that I grew up in; it looks practically identical to the way it was, but I couldn't recognize it because of the size of the trees. ↗

— Jim Fowler

#because #grew #house #i #identical

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

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

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. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#bush #comfortable #george #george w #his

Romney and Democratic rival President Obama have led their partisan backers down a trail of lies, negativity and vacuous policies that seem certain to guarantee an angry electorate four more years of gridlock. ↗

— Ron Fournier

#backers #certain #democratic #down #electorate

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