In the midst of all of today's pageantry, it's worth taking a step back and looking at what President Obama has done with his first term, especially when it comes to civil rights. Jared Ball is associate professor of communication studies at Morgan State University. Ron Christie is a Republican political strategist.

The results are in, but what’s next for the country? The Takeaway's panel of political and cultural experts reacts to the results. Jeff Yang writes the Tao Jones column for The Wall Street Journal, Ron Christie is a Republican political strategist, and Farai Chideya  is a distinguished writer in residence at New York University’s Journalism Institute.

When Mitt Romney is elected the 45^th President of the United States in 11 days, historians and scholars will look back to the 1^st presidential debate in Denver, Colorado as the pivotal point in the race.

Ron Christie, former special assistant to President George W. Bush, argues in a new book that President Obama and other black leaders have taken us a step backwards on race relations, with what he describes as "self-segregating" ideas.

As the Democratic National Convention wrapped up last night with President Barack Obama accepting his Party's nomination, Ron Christie, Takeaway contributor and Republican strategist, and Emily Bazelon, senior editor at Slate and Truman Capote Law and Media fellow at Yale Law School, reflect on the DNC, and look ahead to November. 

Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan headlined the Republican National Convention last night. Ryan is considered by many to be the face and brains of the party’s political course. His pick as VP was seen as an attempt to energize voters and a way to shore up conservative support for Mitt Romney, who some Republicans find too moderate.

I spied Herman Cain in the media filing center with a larger entourage of staff/hangers on than S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley who passed by going in the opposite direction?

Every Friday, The Takeaway reflects on the week that was in Follow Friday. This week, Farai Chideya, distinguished writer-in-residence at New York University’s Journalism Institute and Ron Christie, Republican political strategist and Takeaway contributor, discuss the week's political headlines.

What are the political consequence of having Paul Ryan on the Republican ticket? How will it make a difference in November?

An “outside the box” choice won't help Romney all that much, but his use of social media to unveil a pick already has.

For this week's Follow Friday, we look back on this week's news and cultural stories, including the response to the theater shooting in Aurora, Mitt Romney's foreign policy, President Obama in New Orleans and the beginning of the Olympics.

Every Friday The Takeaway takes a look back at this week’s big stories. From the politics of basketball to the ongoing battle between Republicans and Democrats, this week was full of tension.

Romney will need someone serious, experienced and able to step in to the most powerful job in the world.

Our Follow Friday team discusses the top stories of the past week, including Romney and Biden's speeches to the NAACP, the Obamacare repeal in the House, and building tensions over the Texas Voting Rights Act.

I suspect ears of some black voters that had always tuned Romney out listened in and heard a different person than they've been told about.

Mitt Romney spoke to the NAACP at their national meeting in Houston, Texas, yesterday, and received mixed reviews. Could this be one of the worst moments on the Romney campaign trail? Or one of the best?

Earlier this week, a top Romney advisor told MSNBC that his candidate still did not think of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate penalty as a tax. Yesterday, Romney said during an interview with CBS News that he must accept the court's ruling that it is a tax. Why did the Romney campaign change their tune?

It’s Friday, when our Movie Date podcast team tells us which film releases are worth a night out. This week’s big release is “Rock of Ages,” the all-star love letter to 1980s hair metal.

After a week filled with political stumping across the country, new numbers that show political fundraising is set to go into the billions, and two major addresses yesterday on the economy, we review the week with Ron Christie, Takeaway contributor and Republican political strategist. Ron also reviews HBO's documentary "41," an intimate look at the life of George H.W. Bush.

A new documentary on George H.W. Bush shows a sense of civility – nobility, even – in his pride in and dedication to public service.