David Gergen

Doesn't it signal that this is very likely a bill that's not going to pass this year?

It plays differently in different parts of the country, very strikingly today in the senate vote.

There is an old saying in politics that you've got to dance with the girl who brung you to the dance.

Until he solves or addresses and gets some success on some of the fundamental underlying issues, to move to these issues that most Americans think are pretty marginal compared to Iraq or high gas prices or immigration, until he gets…

It's all about votes, not a marriage.

I think you're going to hear more talk -- of that talk in the days ahead.

You know, the president can't hold a majority in favor of this war. A lot of people think it was a mistake and it's been badly executed.

There's going to be a lot of anger and disgust on the part of the American public if these kind of reports -- this is not the only report, but -- that was coming out of Iraq.

I think he has to deliver some quiet messages, get your act together politically, put a lot of pressure on.

There may be some signaling going on now about how much longer U.S. troops will really stay in large numbers in Iraq.

We want to put a lot of -- invest a lot of faith in this new government. We want to work with them. We will stay as long as they want.

If people closest to her say a firm decision hasn't been made, won't be made until November.

I think there's a hunger in the Democratic party to find an alternative to Hillary Clinton.

There are many who worry whether she's electable, and they're not even sure she's going to run.

They're fine for packaging the message, but there's got to be something inside the box.

There's a hunger in the Democratic Party to find an alternative to Hillary Clinton.

If you're a senator you represent a whole state and you have many more conflicting voices.

He's going to be there a lot, Anderson, he's going to be on a lot.

Well, I think it was the only issue in which he could score a victory immediately.

I think you have good news for the president in the poll, but on exactly the point you cite, sending troops to the border, especially on the path to citizenship which is so contentious in his own party.

you can't govern the country. You can't -- you can't get the big things done.

the country's going to be -- it will help with conservatives. It will get them -- it will get them modestly up. But -- but it's no way to build -- rebuild a presidency.

A lot depends on how -- whether there's any drama to it, whether there's any news in it. If he is simply endorsing a legislative position that is emerging now as a compromise in the Senate, and he's not going to really push hard to make…

I think he's got to really now plant a flag and say: Here's what I'm for. Here's what I want -- and, then, very importantly, Anderson, then get what he wants. That shows leadership.

Is he -- you know, his strategy for recovery has been to rally his base, to rally the conservative base.