During the 2008 campaign, I strongly endorsed Barack Obama for president. I did so early, when many Democratic leaders - including many prominent African-American politicians - believed the safe bet was to back then-front-runner Hillary Clinton.

Since the heady days of the 2009 Inauguration, middle-class independents have grown increasingly distant from Obama. Working-class voters - always more enamored of Clinton - have grown even more wary and distrustful of the Chicagoan. Both voting blocs pose the danger of serious defection in 2012. Without their support, Obama cannot win.

You don't ever earn a right to stop doing anything if you feel there is an obligation to move in terms of public service.

Slavery is nothing to joke about. The history of this nation's involvement with slavery is nothing to pass off in a joke.

I was born in the middle of Lebanon's civil war.

As much as I am very critical of Ariel Sharon in the first Lebanon war, I think that he was the right person at the right time in the right place as prime minister. He made a series of very significant decisions, not one of which was popular or seemed justified at the time.

The best compliment we ever got about the show was from a Korean veteran who was unable to talk about his war experience with his wife until 'M*A*S*H.' While watching the show, he was able to lean over to his wife and say, 'See, honey, that's the way it was.'

Business is a combination of war and sport.