David Gergen

I think what's really interesting is Sarah Palin is not going on the side of the more conservative challenger but is endorsing John McCain.

Evan Bayh had become sort of an informal chairman, if you like, of a group of centrist Democrats in the Senate who were trying to work on the commission.

He cares enormously about ensuring that whatever benefits he has in life that they're shared with other people, especially poor people.

People would say that Bill Clinton is an undisciplined person, but, Anderson, after his heart surgery of 2004, he took doctors' advice, and he went -- he's been -- he's been dieting regularly since then.

He has an enormous passion for life. He has an enormous passion for helping people.

I think if the doctors were to tell him to slow down, I think he would. He's a survivor.

It does not appear so right now, Wolf. I'm afraid there's a lack of political will, lack of political courage in Washington in both parties, on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, to tackle these deficits.

This budget from President Obama estimates, in the next five years, we will have $5 trillion worth of deficits.

We're already seeing some of the negative consequences, and we're going to see it in higher interest rates and a possible dollar crisis, unless we deal with this soon.

They rejected it. They pulled all the teeth out of the commission. The commission is supposedly going to get together this year. Republicans are saying they may not even join the commission.

Some of the toughest problems we face in our politics is Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. These are very sacred in American politics.

Look at the deficit commission the president is proposing. The Congress... it got rejected by the senate.

The real bulk of this, at least two-thirds more is in the entitlement programs.

I think there's been a lot of money wasted. In fact, half or more of the money on the stimulus has been wasted.

It appears the Congress is going to reject a commission that would actually cut these entitlements.

Now, what's captured people's imagination tonight is this idea of a three-year freeze on federal spending other than defense and homeland security. And I must tell you on the surface it's a very good idea.

There are many, many Americans who believe the government is spending wildly on the stimulus, has been misspent. And now they may not be overly impressed by the spending freeze.

I don't think so, Anderson. He had some genuine problems with the economy before the Massachusetts vote.

I think he has got to address that. I do think, today, he was more forceful. And in backing a plan that has been put forward by Paul Volcker, I think he showed a lot of sensibility that will appeal to people.

Well, what Joe Klein has outlined I think would be a boost for the president. It could give him a focus on jobs and a second recovery program. But Wolf, I don't know how he can slink away from health care reform. It has been -- it's the…

I think many, many Americans, including Republicans like John McCain, would prefer to put limits on corporations so they cannot spend money without -- as much as they want, in effect.

I think many, many Americans including Republicans like John McCain would prefer to put limits on corporations so they cannot spend money without as much as they want in effect.

He, I think, has a better shot at getting it done. But I cannot emphasize how much of a retreat that is from what he and other Democrats wanted to do. It is a very different approach to health care.

It is important we do talk about health care, but 20,000 people dying every day in Haiti, it's hard to believe he and others are not acting more effectively to prevent these deaths.

He has to get more of that populist feeling behind his own administration.