Council on Foreign Relations

Michael J. Gerson writes that "Predicting the ideal combination of background, skills and values in a successful president--or VP--is no easy task."

Richard N. Haass writes that "understanding how a candidate thinks about the world gives a better sense of how he is likely to react to both opportunity and crisis."

Michael J. Gerson writes about the Bush Doctrine.

This chapter by Stewart Patrick is excerpted from the book The White House and the World: A Global Development Agenda for the Next U.S. President and addresses how the United States must reformulate how it handles failing, failed and war-torn states.

Michael Gerson analyzes, what he considers, Obama's first three major decisions as the democratic presidential candidate and how they will affect his campaign.

Michael Moran writes that, across the world, "America's electoral rituals are viewed with a mix of amazement, amusement, contempt and hope."

Michael Gerson writes that "deriding Palin's religion has been a poor strategy" for the Democrats.

Daniel Senor focuses on Sen. Joseph Biden's plan for segregation of Iraq along ethnic and sectarian lines.

Michael Gerson writes that John McCain failed to offer creative, interesting or bold policy in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.

Michael Gerson writes that John McCain must challenge the Republican party in his convention speech.

Steven A. Cook looks at how the next U.S. president can be successful in the Middle East.

Michael Gerson writes that Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention squandered opportunities to transcend partisan divides.

Michael Gerson writes that John McCain's sense of social justice combines "a religious concern for the weak and oppressed with a military conception of national honor."

Peter Beinart writes that "of all the disasters that have befallen the Republican Party in recent years, the most cataclysmic may be about to unfold: John McCain might win."

Michael Gerson says that Barack Obama's declaration that he will not fill his speech at the Democratic convention with high rhetoric and instead deliver a more "workmanlike speech," is a mistake. To really capture the unique historical moment that he has been given, Obama should address America's deeper divisions based in issues such as wealth, segragation and opportunity.

Michael Gerson writes that McCain outperformed Obama at the Warren forum, in the Washington Post.

Barack Obama wants race to stay out of the campaign, instead choosing to focus on issues like the environment, gas prices, the Iraq war and almost anything else. Unfortunately for him, he is not going to get his wish, writes Peter Beinart, pointing to the McCain campaign's insistence on making race an issue any chance they get.