Jonathan Alter on Obama's best and brightest

Newsweek Voices - Jonathan Alter | Newsweek.com: "The President’s ‘Whiz Kids’
A misplaced faith in the meritocracy.
May 23, 2009

Earlier this month I did three things that didn't seem to have much to do with each other. I went on a memorable day-trip with my 87-year-old father, Jim Alter, who flew 31 harrowing combat missions over Nazi Germany. I read a scathing and funny memoir called Lost in the Meritocracy, by Walter Kirn. And I developed a little theory about a rut in the road ahead for President Obama. If you'll bear with me, I'll explain how they are connected."