Make no mistake, our military readiness is already suffering. According to a recent RAND study, the Army has been stretched so thin that active-duty soldiers are now spending one of every two years abroad, leaving little of the Army left in any appropriate condition to respond to crises that may emerge elsewhere in the world.

I'm proud to be a Democrat.

Health care is still the number-one issue out there. Someone who seizes it, I think, will do very well in an election. Let's face it: Clinton's two big issues were the middle class tax cut, which he dropped, wisely, at the time to help reduce the deficit, and health care. That's what he ran on.

The climate is obviously changing dramatically.

The notion of American exceptionalism is effective in part because there is little on the face of it that is offensive.

Money in politics is a huge issue.

It is not only all right but necessary to stand up to George Bush.