U.S. President Barack Obama gestures during a a news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, November 5, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing

What The White House Is Planning For The Next 2 Years -- Olivier Knox, Yahoo News

On tap after the election: An Iran nuclear deal, a push on trade and the battle to replace Eric Holder

Life after the midterm elections was never going to be easy for President Barack Obama. In the best-case scenario, he would have watched his influence dwindle steadily as the fight to succeed him heated up. He would have worked to polish his legacy. There would have been work on his “library,” that traditional political-mausoleum project beloved by lame-duck presidents drifting ever closer to the day when they are forgotten but not gone.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- November 5, 2014

Where Did Obama Go Wrong? -- Andrew Sullivan, The Dish

Obama's midterm drubbing: the world weighs in -- Michael Holtz, CSM

Obama Says He Wants to ‘Get Stuff Done’ -- Zeke J Miller, Time

9 takeaways from the 2014 election -- Ezra Klein, VOX

A Referendum on the President -- Sean Trende, Real Clear Politics

War, Interrupted, Part I: The Roots of the Jihadist Resurgence in Iraq -- Craig Whiteside, War On The Rocks

Jerusalem: Along divided city's seam, two die in third attack in as many weeks -- Christa Case Bryant, CSM

Engagement and Assurance: Debating the U.S.-Chinese Relationship -- Michael S. Chase, Timothy R. Heath & Ely Ratner, National Interest

Fighting Ebola and Starvation in Sierra Leone -- Abby Haglage, Daily Beast

The Fiery Fall of Burkina Faso’s ‘Beautiful Blaise’ -- Leela Jacinto, Foreign policy

In Ukraine, concerns rise of fresh conflict as peace plan collapses -- Fred Weir, CSM

Where's the site of Russia's next land grab? Hint: It's in the Arctic -- Daniel Kochis, FOX News

Putin’s created an economic crisis and left Moscow no easy way out -- William E. Pomeranz, Reuters

Sizing America Up -- Victor Davis Hanson

Is Ebola Outbreak Entering New Phase? -- Bahar Gholipour, Live Science