Reporter's Note: President Obama likes playing basketball and so do I. He has not, however, called me up for a game, so I am passing the time until the invitation comes by writing a letter a day to the White House.

Tom Foreman | Bio
AC360° Correspondent

Dear Mr. President,

I’ve come to believe over the years that there are at least two different views of friendship in this world. I don’t mean acquaintanceship. All those yahoos you met when you were raising money and visiting diners are just that; people you met. I’m talking about true friendship. I’m talking about, “Let’s go out back and I’ll tell you a funny story about Biden,” friendship.

Some people believe a friend stands by you all the time, through thick and thin, and will be on your side in any dispute. They believe friends, because they refuse to let anything come between them, are a force to be reckoned with and have less to fear from the larger community than an individual might.

Other people, however, believe a friend stands by you all the time, through thick and thin, and will be on your side…as long as you are in the right. These people believe the true value of a true friend is not that he or she will always agree with you, but that this person cares about you enough to tell you when you are wrong.

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