Paul Begala

I think it's about respect. And George W. Bush was not respected in the world.

I think it actually -- as a political matter, frankly, I think it kind of complicates his work here at home, makes it a little harder, because expectations will be all that much higher.

I think the president is wise to do that.

I think it's because of President Obama's diplomacy, his work, and his recasting of American foreign policy.

The only way to stop Iran from obtaining a bomb -- at least I believe -- is to change the regime.

That kind of macho posturing did not strengthen America, it made us weaker.

You want us to talk to them from a position of strength and from an allied position of strength.

Is President Obama's 'Talk of Talk' seen as a sign of weakness?

It seems to me kind of an illogical step.

You have to have force backing -- you have to obviously have the credible threat of force backing the diplomacy.

Even more important than the dialogue with Iran is the setup that President Obama did going into this.

Is President Obama mix of diplomacy and pressure working? Is he getting results or just lip service?

Dissent is always patriotic. I am pro-dissent.

You know, Speaker Pelosi said she didn't want to do this. She was not really for doing this, but I -- but I really felt like they had no choice.

Dissent is always patriotic. I am pro-dissent.

There's a responsible dissent in the Republican movement but it's being hijacked by a small number of lunatics.

You know Speaker Pelosi said she didn't want to do this, she was not really for doing this.

He went to Republicans. He praised John McCain. He praised Orrin Hatch. He praised Chuck Grassley. Ain't one of them going to vote for this plan, not even come close.

It's a little like -- you know, I don't know. It's like Paris Hilton saying, 'You know, that girl's a little too slutty for me.' It's preposterous.

For Dick Cheney to be accusing anyone of politicizing the Justice Department after what the Bush people did, it's a little like -- I don't know, it's like Paris Hilton saying, you know that girl is a little too slutty for me. It's…

It does. And then, again, add to it -- I mean, I can go on and on, other examples. The Department of Homeland Security itself was politicized, was used by the Republicans to track down Democratic members of the Texas legislature when they…

The first three words on that, his political strategy was focus on war.

This is a first-person eyewitness account from a loyal member of the Bush Cabinet, who says that political pressure was brought to bear on him.

The Department of Homeland Security itself was politicized, which used by the Republicans to track down Democratic members of the Texas legislature when they walked out of the legislature trying to block a Tom DeLay redistricting deal.

The first three words on his political strategy was 'focus on war.'