Story craft, Statecraft

I just finished reading the NYTimes article on Obama's authorship, reminding me of yet another reason I love Barack Obama: His virtues are Odysseus' virtues. Using the full range of his multiplicities ("the man of many ways") while commanding a coherent, authentic singularity, full of (literary) devices, self-knowing, self-telling, savvy, he reveals his story for the utmost effect--to activate his audience. (And no, he doesn't fully control the narrative--his scars spill his story, too.) Yes, he's a natural and a thorough politician--and elevates the descriptor (more on this later...)