The rise of the populist Tea Party movement is dominating the US mid-term election campaign. Yet its significance escapes the country's political and media class.
The arrival of General Petraeus to take charge of the war against the Taliban highlights enduring tensions in the US over the role of the military in political life.
An inspiring candidate has become a failing president. But a comparison with Lyndon B Johnson shows that the reasons for this outcome are more than personal.
