The First Time I Met Bill Clinton

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.

When I Joined Bill Clinton's Start-up Presidential Campaign In 1991, I Was Confident That Women Would Play An Ever More Important Role, But I Never Gave A Minute's Thought To What Would Happen If We Won. When We Did - And I Became The First Woman To Serve As White House Press Secretary - It Changed My Life. But It Didn't Change The World.

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.

As Women Slowly Gain Power, Their Values And Priorities Are Reshaping The Agenda. A Multitude Of Studies Show That When Women Control The Family Funds, They Generally Spend More On Health, Nutrition, And Education - And Less On Alcohol And Cigarettes.

No Doubt, The White House Thinks The American People Know Obama's Story. But Since The Inauguration, We've Seen Only The President's Present: His Perfect Family, His Ivy League Elegance, His Effortless Mastery Of Complex Issues. We Never See Him Sweat. And We Forget That He Ever Had To Struggle.