Before President Obama headed off to his rented 28-acre retreat in Martha's Vineyard, he spent a few days campaigning around the Midwest in his new million-dollar, Canadian-made campaign bus, paid for at government expense. He even unveiled what many believe will be his new reelection theme: "Country first."

According to political scientist Alan Lichtman, one factor favoring President Obama's re-election is the absence of scandal in his administration. Lichtman may have spoken too soon. The reason can be capsulized in a single word: Solyndra.

Rick Perry's promise to make Washington "as inconsequential in your lives as possible" is resonating in libertarian New Hampshire. He has moved into second place here after just a few days in the race, registering 18 percent support among Granite State Republicans. The secret to Perry's success? One word: jobs.

President Obama frequently confuses explanation for persuasion, as if simply telling Americans that because he thinks X, then X must be the way to go, and nearly all of his explanations assume that disagreement with him must stem from ignorance or villainy.

If President Obama will not uphold his fundamental duty as commander-in-chief to defend those who have been defending America, the least he can do is insist that his attorney general uphold his fundamental duty to defend the rule of law.

The surge of illegal immigrants into the United States, which seemed to be unrelenting for most of the last two decades, seems to be over, at least temporarily, and there's a chance it may never resume.

Immigration has become political poison for both parties, leaving the issue unresolved as both parties struggle to find a way to move forward.