Bob Kerrey: “I think they do understand it. I think they do, but the problem, it seems to me, is you have to step back from time to…”

“I think they do understand it. I think they do, but the problem, it seems to me, is you have to step back from time to time and look at the work you are doing, and you have to apply other values, other standards, to it. I just don't, in this case, look at this proposal--and I am not able to reach the conclusion that I am going to target a tax cut, as the Vice President has been calling for, that somebody was in that room saying, gee, we have to make sure it is fair. It just didn't get there. I appreciate very much the Senator answering the questions I have asked of him. I look forward, in fact, to a time when we have our friends on the other side of the aisle engaging in this dialog. Maybe there is an answer here. Maybe somebody was asking the question over and over: Is this fair? I watched with great interest as the Texas Governor talked about compassionate conservatism. I wonder if my friend noticed that some of his Republican friends were saying: Hey, knock that compassion stuff off. You are sounding too much like a Democrat there, let alone acting compassionately. If you use that word too much, you might not get enough people to come out and vote for you. I understand and appreciate when my friends on the other side come and say: You want to make it fair, but we have to afford it. God bless them. Senator McCain earlier was talking about it. God bless Senator McCain for bringing that up. We have to pay attention to the need to keep the economy growing.”