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THE PRESIDENT'S POIGNANT ONE-TWO PUNCH.... Watching President Obama's speech just outside Cleveland yesterday, something seemed a little different.

The president has a habit of going out of his way -- perhaps even too far -- to give his detractors and opponents the benefit of the doubt. He'll characterize Republicans -- whom he'll often just call "some in Congress" or "the minority" -- as sincere but mistaken. He'll try to emphasize areas of agreement with his critics, and point to issues where he'd like to see bipartisan support.