Theres an old adage that partisan politics should stop at the waters edge. When it comes to our foreign policy, that it is the United States of america, not the divided states of america. We met the former president at a symbol of americas past divisions, the Smithsonians National portrait gallery was a hospital in the civil war. Clara barton and walt wittman cared for patients in the building where the 16th president consoled his wounded. We joined mr. Obamas peers in the gallery of the president s to talk about his book. Im curious about the title. I think a lot of people feel that we are farther from a Promised Land. Well, i titled it the Promised Land because even though we may not get there in our lifetimes, even if we experience disappointments along the way, i at least, still have faith we can create a more perfect union, not a perfect union, but a more perfect union. You write in the book our democracy seems to be teetering on the brink of a crisis. What do you mean . We have g