Let's stand back a little bit. Let them settle it themselves. And maybe we ought to be thinking more seriously about pulling back from Iraq sooner, rather than later.

But very importantly, Anderson, there's no significant overall improvement in the president's numbers.

You also don't hear any more talk about an American empire, do you?

That's the ultimate insult among conservatives.

But when he's talked about it, he's said it's defined by actions, not by words, and so that he's not following his own doctrine right now.

Yes, absolutely. I do believe, Anderson, that when Tony Snow says, from the White House podium, that the administration has believed in four- -- six- power talks in North Korea for a long time, that's absolutely right.

You don't hear much about that anymore either.

But there's no question that there has been a tone -- a real change in tone from the earlier days. Gone is the talk of axis of evil. Gone is the talk that we can't wait; we have to act.

But this one has run smack into reality, and the reality has been much tougher than he thought.

The president obviously does not want to rush into any military action against North Korea or Iran. He's got his hands full in Iraq.

I think it presents bigger burdens for some of the would-be democratic president candidates for '08, Mark Warner or Tom Vilsack.

I do think that the conservatives are using this in a way to whip up their base and they are gaining the upper hand politically in this fight.