Obama-Vision: The President Visits the GOP

Throughout the 2008 campaign, long before he secured the nomination, I marveled at Barack Obama's mastery of television.

There was perhaps no greater example of that than his remarkable appearance Friday, during a televised Q&A session with House Republicans.

Setting aside the substance of what Obama said, the style was striking: He appeared reasonable -- even as he cited the GOP's efforts to demonize him and his administration. He exhibited a grasp of facts and minutia related to policy that boggled the mind.

At times, being professorial has worked to Obama's detriment in the national arena. Here, it was the basis of what was by television standards a virtuoso performance.

Strictly from an educational standpoint, you would hope that this sort of thing would be repeated. Still, Republicans will doubtless think twice before providing the President with another opportunity of this kind to in essence school them on a national stage. This is not a political opponent that anybody should underestimate -- especially with the cameras rolling, which is where he excels.

To those who voted for Obama and have grown disenchanted, however, this has been the kind of week that reminds voters what they saw in him.

And yes, most of them saw it through the prism of television.