CNN

FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev who has "been there, done that" when it comes to Afghanistan says that instead of sending more troops, President Obama should prepare to withdraw U.S. forces. It's advice Mr. Obama may want to consider as he weighs sending up to 40,000 additional troops into that eight year old war.

Former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev .

You see, the Soviets occupied Afghanistan in 1979. A decade later, they picked up their toys and went home after intense opposition from Afghan fighters, backed by the U.S. and Pakistan.

13,000 Soviet soldiers - and more than a million Afghans - died during those 10 years. At the time that Gorbachev withdrew his forces - he called the occupation of Afghanistan a "bleeding wound."

Gorbachev now says the Soviets talked about sending more troops back then - but decided against it. Instead, he says they chose to work on domestic development in Afghanistan and promoting reconciliation between the various factions in the country.

Gorbachev acknowledges that terrorism can't be ignored... but that the overall emphasis should be on dialogue and ultimately a withdrawal of troops.

Meanwhile President Obama has been holding meetings for over a month now with top military and foreign policy advisers about what to do next in Afghanistan. Maybe some day he'll make up his mind.

Last month was the deadliest in the eight year war for U.S. troops.

Here’s my question to you: Should President Obama heed former Soviet Pres. Gorbachev’s advice on Afghanistan and prepare to withdraw U.S. troops?

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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

When it comes to health care reform, it almost feels like President Obama doesn't want to get his hands dirty. House Democrats are planning a vote on their 2,000 page bill this weekend - which is fine, but it won't mean anything unless the Senate acts too, and that's looking less likely

After losing governorships in Virginia and New Jersey - and after being told by Majority Leader Harry Reid that his health care reform is probably going to be put off until next year in the Senate - President Obama was out the day after the election making a speech about education in Wisconsin.

What if instead he made a speech that said:

"That's enough. I've tried to be bipartisan. I've tried to leave Congress alone to do its job. In general, I've tried to be a nice guy through it all, but it's not working. And before we lose any more governorships, Senate seats or congressional seats, here's what I've decided to do:

"I'm ordering the Congress to remain in session until both houses vote on a final version of health care reform. Pass it or don't, but you're not going home until you address it. And if that means you work through Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter and the 4th of July, so be it. You were sent here to do the people's business and you're not going on vacation until it's done."

The Constitution gives him this power. According to Article 2, Section 3, the president "may, on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them." Harry Truman called such an emergency session in 1947.

Here’s my question to you: Should President Obama keep Congress in session and force them to vote on health care reform?

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A poster of then President-elect Barack Obama as Superman is seen on November 5, 2008 on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California, one day after Obama won the election. (PHOTO CREDIT: GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

It's been one year since President Obama defeated John McCain and rode into office promising "change we can believe in."

So - what has he done in the first year?

Some say Mr. Obama's biggest accomplishments have been keeping the financial crisis from becoming worse... and improving America's image abroad.

Democrats credit the $787 billion economic stimulus package with rescuing the economy... although Republicans call it a big waste... and with nearly 10 percent unemployment, the country is still waiting for the jobs to come back.

The president and Congress have spent most of the first year wrestling with health care reform and if we get anything at all - it's probably going to fall far short of meaningful reform.

Meanwhile President Obama has done nothing to regulate Wall Street or close the nation's borders. The deficits are beyond absurd. The wars continue - as does most of the government secrecy left over from the Bush administration.

And the president's policy of engaging our enemies hasn't produced many results yet when it comes to countries like Iran and North Korea.

Even his liberal supporters don't think he has delivered on issues like don't ask-don't tell, climate change and education reform.

You could make the argument Superman couldn't have done this stuff in a year either.

Here’s my question to you: One year after the election, how's President Obama doing?

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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

Race relations have not improved as much in the U.S. as many hoped they would with the election of our first African-American president. When Barack Obama was elected, we heard a lot of talk about all the good it might do for racial tensions.

Barack Obama and his family arrive on stage for his election night victory rally at Grant Park in Chicago on November 4, 2008.

Well, maybe not... Consider this: 56 percent of Americans think a solution to this country's race relations problem will eventually be worked out. But that's exactly the same percentage of people who felt this way when Gallup first asked this question 46 years ago in December of 1963. So despite all the progress we've presumably made in the last half century - much has not changed.

Gallup conducted a one-night poll on November 5 of last year - right after President Obama won. At that point, 67 percent of those surveyed thought race relations would get better. They haven't.

Not surprisingly, blacks are much more pessimistic about this question than whites. Among blacks, optimism has decreased since last summer from 50 percent to 42 percent.

Gallup also found that 79 percent of Americans say blacks have equal employment opportunities to whites. That number is up since last summer. But - here again - blacks are overwhelmingly more pessimistic about equal job chances.

Lastly, the poll shows 51 percent of those surveyed agree that there's widespread racism against blacks in the U.S.

Here’s my question to you: Why hasn't the nation's first African-American president had a greater impact on race relations?

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(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)

FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

Some Democrats are calling it the "Obama hangover."

Even with President Obama on the campaign trail, at fund-raising events and taping TV ads for many state and local candidates - it seems like the electricity of the 2008 campaign is a distant memory.

The Los Angeles Times reports how much tougher it is to get people fired up to volunteer and vote Democrat this time around. And, as President Obama tries to address health care, the economy and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq - some of his decisions may not sit well with voters at the local level.

A lot of eyes are on the races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia; and a congressional race in upstate New York's 23rd district.

With election day a week away - things aren't looking so hot for Democrat Creigh Deeds in Virginia... One new poll shows him trailing Republican Bob McConnell by 11 points. Meanwhile - White House officials have been complaining about the quality of Deeds' campaign... gee, think they're trying to distance themselves from him?

In New Jersey - polls show Democrat incumbent Jon Corzine leading his Republican challenger Chris Christie... but one survey finds 73 percent say a campaign appearance by the president wouldn't affect their vote.

Meanwhile - Pollsters say it's conservatives who are most energized this time around. And Republicans are already describing any victories in these elections as a referendum on President Obama... claiming it could be a sign of things to come in next year's midterms.

Here’s my question to you: When it comes to upcoming state and local elections, where has the Obama "magic" gone?

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Fearful that Obama's administration is quietly planning to introduce tough new restrictions on gun ownership and worried that the recession will trigger a crime wave, Americans are scrambling to stock up on guns and ammunition. (PHOTO CREDIT: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

A majority of gun owners think Pres. Obama wants to ban gun sales.

A new Gallup poll shows 55 percent of those who own a gun, 53 percent who have a gun in the household, and 41 percent of all Americans believe he will attempt to ban the sale of guns while he is president.

This concern is greater among Republicans and people living in the South and Midwest than among Democrats or those living on either coast.

It also helps explain the sharp increases in sales of guns and ammunition. There are reports that U.S. bullet-makers are working around the clock and still can't keep up with the demand for ammunition. Shooting ranges and gun dealers say they've never seen such shortages.

However, President Obama has never said - as a candidate or as president - that he intends to push for a ban of gun sales. The president has said that he believes in the Second Amendment and that "lawful gun owners have nothing to fear." In May, he signed a law allowing people to carry loaded guns in national parks.

Nonetheless, gun rights advocates point to Mr. Obama's record as a state legislator and U.S. senator where he "voted for the most stringent forms of gun control."

They also surely remember that famous time during the campaign when the president spoke about small town people who are bitter and "cling to guns or religion."

This is an issue that speaks to millions of Americans. The U.S. is already the most heavily armed country in the world - with about 90 guns for every 100 citizens.

Here’s my question to you: Why are so many Americans worried President Obama will try to ban gun sales?

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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

When it comes to Afghanistan, the Obama White House keeps pointing fingers at President Bush. Although the war is in its ninth year - they make it sound like things are back to square one.

Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel says President Obama is asking the questions that have never been asked on the civilian side, the political side, the military side and the strategic side - a not-so-thinly-veiled reference to Obama's predecessor.

As President Obama continues to delay his decision whether to send as many as 40,000 more troops into battle - the latest excuse is the runoff election in Afghanistan - the tide is turning against the war here at home.

A new CNN-Opinion Research Corporation Poll shows 59 percent of Americans are opposed to sending more troops into Afghanistan...only 39 percent support sending troops - and 28 percent say we should withdraw all U.S. forces.

And, perhaps even more troubling for the current administration: 52 percent of those surveyed say Afghanistan has turned into another Vietnam-President Obama's Vietnam.

There's no doubt President Bush deserves a lot of the blame for the problems in Afghanistan. His decision to invade Iraq derailed America's mission there. But President Obama has been in office for nine months now and some days his administration acts like they just discovered we have troops in Afghanistan.

Here’s my question to you: At what point should President Obama stop blaming the Bush administration?

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Activists carry a rainbow flag on the West Lawn of the Capitol Building during a protest. The group gathered to push Pres. Obama's administration and Congress to live up to promises to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to advance civil rights. (PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)

FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

President Obama doesn't have any shortage of critical issues to deal with right now, from health care reform to the economy and job creation to possibly sending more troops into Afghanistan.

But the president is choosing this moment to wade into yet another heated debate - that of gay rights. In a speech to an advocacy group - Mr. Obama promised to end the military's policy of "don't ask-don't tell." But he neglected to say when or how.

Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, says he expects the ban to be lifted... but that it's critical for military leaders to agree on the policy change.

President Obama is also calling on Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

The 1996 law signed by President Clinton defines marriage as being between a man and a woman... and makes sure that states don't have to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.

President Obama doesn't support same-sex marriage and has said he thinks marriage is between a man and a woman. But - he backs civil unions that offer similar rights to gay couples; and just this weekend called for a law to extend benefits to domestic partners.

Meanwhile - Some gay rights activists are getting impatient with the president... saying they've heard his promises before and now want a timeline.

Here’s my question to you: Is now the right time for President Obama to wade into the issue of gay rights?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

There's no question Chicago's losing the Olympics was an embarrassment for Pres. Obama. One headline on the Drudge Report read: Obama + Michelle X Oprah = 0

Princeton history professor Julian Zelizer writes on CNN.com that the usually calm and steady president has made two recent mistakes that have shifted the public's focus off the big issues like health care.

The first was when Mr. Obama waded into the controversy surrounding the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Gates by saying the police acted "stupidly" when he didn't know all the facts of the case. The second mistake was the president's decision to fly to Copenhagen for the Olympics pitch.

Zelizer suggests the Olympics situation is more troubling - since it was well-thought out by the president and vetted by his advisers - whereas the Gates comment was an off-the-cuff moment.

In the grand scheme of things - the Olympics flap is not as big a deal as Republicans will make it out to be. And - come election time, it's likely that whatever happens with health care reform, the economy and whether or not the U-S sends more troops to Afghanistan will all weigh heavier on voters' minds.

But President Obama's decision to go to Denmark and appear before the International Olympic committee may be seen as a lapse in judgment for a man who had perfect political instincts during the campaign.

Here’s my question to you: Politically speaking, how big a deal was losing the Olympics for President Obama?

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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

He gambled and lost, and now the whole exercise looks a little silly. President Obama, the First Lady, Oprah Winfrey... three airplanes, cars, Secret Service, staff, and of course all that luggage trekking off to Copenhagen to try to lure the Olympics to Chicago. The Windy City finished fourth in a field of four.

But that's sort of the way it has been going for President Obama lately...

Instead of Copenhagen - he might have gone to Chicago and addressed the brutal murder of a 16-year-old honor student in broad daylight at the hands of four street punks.

Remember the lectures we got from Obama during the campaign about family values, the importance of a father figure in a child's home, etc.? Here was a real chance to walk the walk... but he took a pass in favor of Copenhagen. Instead - all we got was the White House press secretary saying the beating video was chilling.

The Olympics news came the same day as the jobs report and that news wasn't any better. More job losses than expected and the unemployment rate at its highest level in 26 years.

After months of debate, health care reform isn't going anywhere.

Iran is thumbing its nose at our president and the world. They may soon be able to blow up the entire neighborhood.

North Korea certainly doesn't seem deterred by our change of administrations either.

Afghanistan is getting worse, and there is now disagreement within the administration on what to do about it. Study it some more seems the short-term answer. Meanwhile our troops are dying in record numbers there.

Except for the stimulus package, the scoreboard doesn't look too good for our new president.

Here’s my question to you: What does President Obama have to do to start putting some wins on the board?

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