May 25, 2009 ‘Obama On Obama: An Exclusive Interview’

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has done an excellent job discussing the importance of a president's first 1,000 days in office. Bloomberg, a former Republican who contemplated running for the presidency as a third-party candidate, knows what it's like to sit between different camps and try to reconcile conflicting ideologies. I would not go so far as to suggest that we have seen the death of ideology, but it seems to have been put on the back burner. May the pragmatist always carry the day. Obama's track record looks pretty good so far.
Werner Radtke, Paderborn, Germany

What really caught my eye: Jon Meacham's quote in Top of the Week from President Obama where Obama states that "the biggest mistake ... is this notion you have to dumb things down for the public." That's followed by NEWSWEEK's comment "We could not agree more." Then on the following page is a glossy color photo of bikini-clad, blonde, blue-eyed Miss California, who represented her state in a contest that celebrates women for their ability to wear an evening gown and a bikini. If this isn't dumbing things down, then I don't know what is.
Janet Lee, New York, N.Y.

Ari Ne'eman and other "autistic people" (his preferred term) are the most important voices in discussions about autism ("Erasing Autism"). As a generation of young adults emerges who have had the benefits of early-childhood therapies, "neurotypicals" would be wise to listen to individuals with autism communicate their own perspective on their place in society and how they've been treated. My 8-year-old son, who is diagnosed with high-functioning autism, is now thriving in the supportive environment of a specialized school, where he is understood and appreciated for his unique strengths and talents. Everyone deserves to be heard.
Andrea Odintz-Cohen, Flushing, N.Y.

Pope Benedict will avoid responding to the global media in a more transparent manner because that's his modus operandi ("How to Sell a Better Pope"). I was a student at the University of Tübingen in Germany at a time when the pope was a professor of theology there. It's what he did when the student protests at the university became too strident—he retreated to the backwaters of Regensburg. It's what he's doing now in reaction to widespread criticism of some of his authoritarian positions. There is a secret power in being a victim that's pretty hard to beat.
Joel Brence, Aspen, Colo.

Unlike George Will, I'm thrilled that the Department of Transportation is a place where creativity and problem solving are being used to tackle transportation challenges facing America ("Ray LaHood, Transformed"). Will thinks Secretary LaHood would be crazy to believe that 0.01 percent of Americans will ever regularly ride bikes to work, but 40 times that number already do. Bicycling, public transportation, walking and car sharing already help us get where we want to go. More investment in these modes of transportation will help us be greener and leaner.
Andy Clarke, President League Of American Bicyclists Washington, D.C.