I have thought for a while that a case could be made that Obama was really a secret conservative, showing America what would happen if the “progressive” agenda were ever put in place and thereby weaning us off it forever. My friend Noemie Emery, an exceptionally astute observer of American political history, emailed, “All politicians act like secret agents, in the pay of the opposite side.” As I thought about it, it seemed to me her observation had special applicability to the president, Jeb Bush, and Hillary Clinton, though I’d certainly not rule out a wider field.