The Irony of American History

David Gergen: I'm the guy who asked Barack Obama if he ever read Reinhold Neibor. He says there are a lot of serious things that we'll get into, but just the one I'd mentioned immediately is the inaugural address. Gergen: As Americans, we have a counter tradition which counsels optimism, daringness and risk-taking. But reconciling the two while being conscious of Neibor is the central challenge.