SAN ANTONIO, Texas—Every association meeting has its mix of business and fun, and occasionally offers insights into the greater world around us.

The 86^th annual meeting of the American Association of Managing General Agents is no exception. More than 900 delegates attended this year's conference in San Antonio, Texas held May 6-9 at the JW Marriott San Antonio, a 600 acre resort hotel 20 minutes outside of downtown San Antonio.

This year's AAMGA meeting featured three well know figures from the world of politics and sports.

Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson spoke on Monday discussing the issues that they believe will define and decide this year's presidential election.

On Tuesday, former Pittsburgh Steeler's National Football League quarterback and current sports commentator for Fox NFL Sunday, Terry Bradshaw, imparted his view on life's lessons to attendees.

A former aide to President Bill Clinton, and commentator on CNN, Paul Begala (left) represented the Democratic-liberal view of the current presidential race between President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and assumed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Tucker Carlson (right), a conservative news correspondent and host of several cable news shows over the years, is currently on FOX News, represented the Republican-conservative view of the race.

Both described themselves as good friends and shared hosting duties on CNN's Crossfire. They were less than charitable about the chances for either candidate to be elected and challenges they face.

Begala, who says he supports President Obama, says that all the polling indicating how close the election is today between Obama and Romney is useless. What will matter is the direction the people feel the country is moving in as the election draws close in November.

He says the people will vote either to “stay the course or it is time for a change.”

The president's major problem is that he set the expectation bar too high during his first election and the economic numbers have not moved to a point where people feel secure in the country's future, meaning the president's chances for re-election are not assured.

On the positive side for Obama, Republicans are not enthusiastic about their candidate and their primary process has hurt the party, he says.

He says the election will be coin toss. If 40 percent or more of the country feels the country is moving in the right direction, the president will be re-elected. Below 40 percent, he will not win another term.

Tucker says the true direction of the race will not be determined until early October. One of the indicators about who is ahead in the race will focus on press coverage. If the news is focused on the incumbent, Obama loses. If the news is all about Romney, Obama wins.

Republicans have some baggage coming into this election that could help Obama, says Tucker. The Republican Party is traditionally an orderly organization with a minimal amount of drama. The party today, he says, is in transition and Romney has a problem with elements within the party focused on ideological purity.

Tucker says another problem for Romney is that he can't run against Obama over the healthcare mandate. Why? Because only two people in the country have signed legislation authorizing healthcare mandates and Romney is one of them from his time as governor of Massachusetts.

“What should be an easy election will be a tough one,” says Tucker.

Both men agreed that people need to broaden their consumption of media and understand the views of the opposing side. People should make themselves uncomfortable and know what the other side thinks, says Begala.

Tucker says it is important to know what the opposition is saying because it makes one sharper about understanding their own views and allows individuals to get to the truth on complex issues that the nation faces today.

Terry Bradshaw, the former quarterback and author of the book “Keep It Simple,” says he has learned several lessons about life that he tries to impart every day.

The first is that smiling is very important because a happy person lives longer. He says the best way to keep smiling is to keep life simple, which he has learned to do over the years.

It is equally important to appreciate the people around you, because no one achieves success without someone else being there to help them.

“We have to understand that in life it is okay to admit that you have a weakness,” says Bradshaw. “You got to be happy. Keep it simple.”

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