7 Days in America

Kirsten Gillibrand's friends call her brilliant -- her critics expedient. 7 Days found a person thoroughly substantive and adaptable.

Let's remember how we have to hang together -- or hang separately. But let's also, on a case by case basis, make sure that we "lean" on Obama when the facts warrant it.

Is Obama's choice of Rick Warren another example of the president-elect giving conservatives the visual while later giving progressives the policy?

While Republicans throw $700 billion to Wall Street but complain about a $14 billion loan for blue collar workers, Bob Kuttner explains why this should be a transforming economic and political moment for Obama.

Nov. 4 didn't create a progressive realignment, only the opportunity for one. To achieve a real realignment, like 1890 or 1932, what would now have to happen?

This time "the whole world was watching" was literally true... and they were waving flags, not fingers. Our A+ panel discusses why -- W's uniting influence, O's bottom-up campaign, McCain's dishonor.

What went wrong with McCain? Nearly everything. But mostly, he ran an OK GOP campaign for 1952, 1968, 1980... but not 2008.

So why is Obama in such a strong position in the final stretch? George Lakoff has a brainy explanation. Is Obama the Dems' Reagan?

We now see McCain's split-level strategy for the remaining two weeks -- while he stays patriotic and funny, his campaign quietly floods the country with slanderous robo-calls and ads equating Obama and Ayers/ACORN.

Your recent personal attacks on Barack Obama are so beyond the pale for presidential politics that you now face a fateful choice by the Wednesday debate -- will you pull back from the abyss of sleazy slander or risk losing not only the election but also your reputation and honor?

Since militaristic, conservative presidents are their recruiting tools, there's a very real chance that bin Laden or a local remnant will do something to derail Obama and help the warrior candidate.

Arianna, Bob, Jamie and Mark discuss the presidential debate. Who won? Who was best on the economy? How can they improve their performances next time?

Has this week's Wall Street "September Surprise" permanently altered the presidential contest? And now that mortgages rather than mooses are again on the agenda, let's return to a fair question -- is Palin qualified to be vice president or president?

This week I attended the U.S. Open and watched the Republican Convention. Guess which had more spin?

Obama said he wouldn't question McCain's motives or patriotism, but I can -- objectively, when you combine Dan Quayle and Chauncey Gardiner, you get Sarah Palin.

Edwards' humiliating sex scandal should not have political ramifications for two reasons: it's a failing of person, not party, and John McCain did the same thing -- he had an affair while his wife was ailing.

McCain said two months ago that he wanted to run a "civil campaign" free of personal attacks. Now he all but accuses Obama of being unpatriotic, nearly treasonous.

Our conversation converged on the conclusion that Obama looked "presidential" while McCain looked like a biblical Job wandering around from golf carts to supermarket aisles shopping for news and votes.

Two fuses were lit this past week that could eventually explode later in John McCain's campaign -- a housing-banking crisis and the senator's penchant for falsehoods that gives new meaning to Bush III.

Republicans are going to have to get used to the following -- if they hope that the Democratic nominee will do something politically self-immolating, they won't get it. Sorry, not this time.

It will be forgivable that Obama opted out of the public finance system if he appoints a White House "Democracy Czar" to repair the broken presidential system he rejected.

Over the next weeks and three months, there are six lesser known factors that should give Obama a 10-point or larger advantage at the post-Convention Labor Day kickoff.

If his five problems in five days are an indication, McCain is on track to end up with a smaller vote than the last Republican nominee from Arizona in 1964.