"Obama is giving more thought to his post-presidency than his aides like to suggest."

"He has spoken privately of his intention to establish a foundation with the reach and influence of the Clinton Global Initiative, the international fundraising juggernaut started by former President Bill Clinton. And despite his deep connections to Chicago, he has told friends he would like to live in New York City."

The president’s political world is more and more beyond his command. Instead, it is driven by Republicans in Congress, potentially power-shifting Senate races in states where Obama isn’t welcomed to campaign, and to speculation centered on Hillary Clinton’s agenda — not his own. Obama tells anxious Democrats that there is only so much he can do beyond fundraising and better implementing the health care law. But he also has told allies that losing the Senate to Republicans would make his last two years in office unbearable.

It's like he's already gone.

This sense of diminished possibilities has infused his governing strategy. 

The life of a megalomaniac is not easy.

Obama is most animated by the enormous challenge of closing the income gap between the rich and poor, but he’s had to rely on only small-ball initiatives. 

Most Powerful Man in the World is just not enough power to animate him — to make him come alive. He looks longingly at a life in NYC — like Clinton — cadging cash from fawners — like Clinton — funding a foundation — like Clinton — and then, maybe then, he could call all the shots. Maybe then, he could be happy. That glorious smile, where has it gotten him? Maybe in New York....