David Gergen

It seems to me that we might be able to work out some resolution where the imam would join up with a Christian leader and a Jewish leader and figure out how to make this a true interfaith center.

But at the same time, the fact that two-thirds of New Yorkers, people who live in the city, told 'The New York Times' that they oppose it, and we see opposition in the country. The people opposing it are not bigots.

I do think that the imam is a very well-respected man, and the fact that the State Department supported him; he was carefully checked out before they sent him abroad to represent the United States.

I think reasonable people can disagree about whether you put a mosque there, but I think a lot of people in this country would come together and say, 'Let's make something constructive out of this in which we can join up together and feel…

It certainly does. And you make one little mistake, and it can be amplified so quickly now through the Internet, that people are extra careful.

Well, in the first place, he's not going to be able to get his liberal agenda through. That's just -- that's going to be finished.

Rand Paul in West Virginia, you know, we thought at one time that maybe he would be in trouble. He's opened up a double-digit lead there as a Tea Party candidate.

In the last two summers, the Democrats have lost control of the national message over the summer.

They have lost control of the national message over the summer.

I think it's going to be really important that he give Hillary Clinton and George Mitchell, her negotiator, a lot of responsibility in these early months while he focuses on the economy.

I agree with that, Fareed, but it is true that some people want to make him see like other.

The president did not define what the mission is in Iraq or in Afghanistan, and it sounds dangerously as if what's important is deadlines, not success.

The President did not define what the mission is in Iraq or in Afghanistan. And it sounds dangerously as if what's important is deadlines, not success.

I don't think it has something to do with President Obama. It has a lot more to do with 9/11 and the fear of terrorism.

I thought he should, but in contrast to his Philadelphia speech on race, where I thought he was superb.

I think it has something to do with President Obama, and it has a lot more to do with 9/11 and the fear of terrorism.

But the reason we set a date in Iraq to come out now was we said if we set a deadline it would force the Iraqis, would encourage the Iraqis to form their government and be self-sufficient.

President Obama promised he was going to bring troops home. In this way, he kept his promise. He deserves credit for that.

This was Barack Obama's argument for pulling out now. That if you set a deadline, things were going to happen.

Most Americans think it was not. But I think we're far better off than we were, say, three or four years ago, before Chet Crocker (ph) went there and we got a new strategy, we got the surge. I think this is a milestone tonight and that…

We're leaving behind a country that doesn't have a government. We're leaving behind a country where there's -- there's a lack -- a lack of electricity is still very troublesome, burdensome lack of other public services.

Most Americans think it is not. But I think we are better off than we were, say, three or four years ago, before Chet (ph) Crocker went there and we got a new strategy, we got the surge. I think this is a milestone tonight and that, John…

They need to be better in the fall.

I think that -- I don't know what's gone wrong. You know, usually, a team gets much better along the way. But this team is, I think, having more problems now than it had a year and a half ago.

I increasingly believe it may come back to haunt him over time.