David Gergen: “We've had a passive president on these negotiations. He's been on the sidelines.”

If he had a receptive audience, and I will tell you, when everything -- when all the facts were to come out, it would be like Nixon and the tapes.

The midterms really helped him. They transformed the race, best midterm elections for any president in 20 years.

If he comes out and throws cold water on this, then I don't think it goes anywhere.

I think a lot of Americans do see it as disqualifying. And they're worried about it.