Interview with Sarah Palin and reflections on policy inexperience

Michelle Obama's evolution from political skeptic to convention speaker

Distinction between the crowd and the deliberative public in democracy

Carol Moseley Braun's path to the Senate and connection to Obama's rise

The role of polls in moderating and polarizing presidential leadership

Internal divisions within the Latino community over immigration and newcomers

Recurring patterns of persecution across history and the present day

Women's suffrage leaders pressuring presidents toward democratic inclusion

The role of journalism and public accountability in countering McCarthyism

Lincoln's time as a Congressman and early lessons about slavery and realpolitik

White Southerners' fear and distrust of Lincoln before the Civil War

Father's role as mentor, daily confidant, and political inspiration

McKinley's decision-making during the Spanish-American War and the Philippines

Henry Luce's relationship with JFK and the political context of the Flavio story

McCain's belief that partisan fighting must serve the country's larger causes

African Americans pushing Lincoln toward emancipation and proving citizenship through courage

Lincoln's moral opposition to slavery rooted in democratic ideals rather than religion

Mother's 1994 gubernatorial defeat and the rise of the Republican right

Southern attacks on Lincoln and secessionist threats following his nomination

Delegates' fears and support for a strong presidency at the Constitutional Convention

The partnership between LBJ and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in advancing civil rights legislation

Emotional response to Barack Obama's election as president

Impossible expectations placed on the presidency and the rarity of great leaders

Parents' political careers and their influence on Romney's own path

Distinctions between abolitionism and Lincoln's anti-slavery philosophy

Decision to step down from Planned Parenthood after twelve years