BUSH MUST SAY NO TO RELIGIOUS RIGHT ON SCOTUS NOMINEE

Timeh had three former presidential chiefs of staff (Leon Panetta -- Clinton, Ham Jordan -- Carter, Ken Duberstein -- Reagan ) and presidential historian Michael Beschloss on his show. Showed Reagan and Clinton denying, then taking responsibility for, notable scandals/mistakes on their watch. They discussed how presidents who 'fess up and apologize raise their poll ratings and find that the American people are very forgiving.

Tim quoted John Danforth's recent remarks about how the "Christian" right has taken over the GOP and divided the country. He asked, how does Bush embrace that base and still appeal to moderates?

KD: Ronald Reagan understood that the religious right doesn't expect everything their way. Bush needs to reach out and respond to them but say no to them on some things in an uninflammatory way. Bush needs to act as if he's campaigning for a third term and reach out to moderates.

HJ: The battle in American politics used to be about courting the middle. Now it's all about appealing to the extremes, and we've forgotten about the middle.

TR: How does he satisfy his base and still win in the Senate?

LP: If you simply appeal to the extremes government is not going to work. If Bush nominates someone to the Supreme Court that will antagonize and create trouble on Capitol Hill, that'll tell us a lot about his future, he'll be in real trouble.

I had to tune out after that, because my three-year-old grandson wanted to watch Sinbad. Priorities, priorities.