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 Read Quote
Obama might do well to remember that his fast rise from the Illinois state Senate was due in large part to an uncanny ability to make friends and find mentors. Ron Fournier Read Quote
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 Read Quote
With gridlock the norm, Congress’s approval rating is below 10 percent and the public has lost faith in its national leadership. Ron Fournier Read Quote
Movies such as ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ in 1939 to ‘Dave’ in 1993 portray Washington leaders as the ultimate Everymen – decent people just like you and me, only thrust onto greatness. Ron Fournier Read Quote
It’s an appeal as old as America and its presidency: This is an extraordinary country populated by hard-working, big-dreaming, freedom-loving people graced by God when they’re not pulling themselves up by the bootstraps. Ron Fournier Read Quote
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 Read Quote
Blending hard-bitten realism with long-view optimism, Obama said that every 20 or 30 years brings a new cycle of pessimism in America. Ron Fournier Read Quote
According to a Public Policy Polling survey, most Americans find lice and colonoscopies more appealing than Capitol Hill. Ron Fournier Read Quote