A couple of weeks ago, President Obama attended a GOP retreat in Baltimore and engaged several Republicans in conversation about several issues. While the GOP didn't come off looking half as bad as the media reported, there is little doubt that the president was better prepared, more at ease, and gave the impression that he was in total control of the event.By contrast, Republicans looked less prepared, more petulant, and less knowledgeable of the issues.It is almost a certainty that the White House was going for a repeat performance at the health care summit yesterday. But the Republicans had learned their lessons. They came very prepared to argue with the Democrats on the substantive differences between them, and Leaders McConnell and Boehner did a great job in choosing an excellent team (for the most part) who ran rhetorical rings around the Democrats.In contrast, it was the president's turn to look ill at ease - sometimes even contemptuous of his foes. And while the president once...(Read Full Post)