most equivalent stages we would be talking about lane dockery -- lame duckery.e pretty interested to see what he does with the next 18 months. charlie: 12 he faces now? john: foreign policy -- al: foreign policy. we have a great victory but there are still questions that are raised about it. i don't think there's going to be much legislation. to head off anything the considers bad, those are major challenges for him. i think again this is not going to be lame duckery. he was liberated by the midterm defeat. let me tell you one anecdote. in 2004 i invited barack obama to be the speaker at the winter gridiron dinner. he came. the gop speaker was mitt romney. mitt romney that night broke into verse. he saying. i was next to obama and he said that takes courage. i would love to do that someday. charlie: wow. al: he did it. to do that and that solemn occasion at that church, to do with such skill and encourage and such grace, that is what was remarkable. charlie: where are we in the question of race in america after charleston? al: if you're asking me, i think we mad