We're understanding what Obama is. He is the great teacher. He is this guy that stands above everybody. There's some condescension in it but he stands above everybody and says 'Now listen. You people have to stop blaming each other unreasonably. You have to get along here and I am going to show you the way.' It is a pretty brave role in many ways.
It's counterintuitive but the most divisive arrangement is when the same party controls both Congress and the presidency a situation encountered in eight of the past 10 years. With government unified under a single party the minority has the least possible incentive to cooperate with the majority.