“Mr. President,” he said, leaning forward, elbow on his desk, “I always respect my elders. You’ve been in politics for a very long time. There are moments in history—just because things have been the same way in the past doesn’t mean they will be the same way in the future.” When he hung up, Obama looked at us and shrugged, as if to signal that he didn’t think he’d gotten through. It was the last time they spoke.
