Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne’s book Why Americans Hate Politics was published in 1992. In his clear, gentle but firm style, the book spells out how the left-right ideological chasm that sprang up during the 1960s led to an increasingly wider divide between word and deed in how politicians campaigned and their subsequent actions in office. People sensed they were being gulled, and large numbers of them responded by tuning out the political sphere entirely. Unfortunately, the situation continued to deteriorate throughout the double terms of the next two presidents.

I’m a strong supporter of Obama in part because I think he knows how to fight tough but do it in a classy way, something the Democrats haven’t seen in a long time. One of the more interesting battles being waged these days is over control of the American narrative. Ronald Reagan won the last round, but I think Obama and Biden are just getting warmed up. Dionne is on that beat, and it’s worth following.