NYT, July, 2003 (sub. req) *written by Adam Nag:

The moderate Democratic group that helped elect Bill Clinton to the White House in 1992 warned today that Democrats were headed for defeat if they presented themselves as an angry ''far left'' party fighting tax cuts and opposing the war in Iraq.

The warning, by the Democratic Leadership Council, an organization of moderate Democrats that helped move the party to the center 10 years ago, was largely a response to the popularity enjoyed in early presidential primary states by Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont.

...The council was started in 1985 by elected officials mostly from the South and the West to make the point that the influence of labor unions and what they called ''special interest groups'' on the party had resulted in Republicans' being elected to the White House.

The group, which is supported by corporate contributions, today includes many of the same people who were leading it when Mr. Clinton was elected in 1992, though it has grown sharply.

...Most important, Mr. Penn said, the party has to prove itself credible on the issue of national security -- something that many Democrats attending the conference here said would be impossible to do if the party were perceived as opposed to the war on Iraq.

The war was opposed outright by five of the nine candidates: Dr. Dean, Representative Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio, Senator Bob Graham of Florida, the Rev. Al Sharpton and Carol Moseley Braun, a former senator of Illinois.

Two days ago, he posted a blog here, and he said he'd "be back tomorrow" to continue. Well, it's been two days now, and we haven't heard a thing.

I've checked the newspapers for interviews, I watched Fox last night, and he's nowhere to be found.

Harold?

Bueller?

Very direct:

BASH: Do you want to overturn Roe v. Wade?

GIULIANI: Dana, I don't wink and nod. I'm a very direct person. I tell people what I think. Sometimes, I get in trouble for it.

BASH: So, what's the direct answer?

GIULIANI: The direct answer is, a strict constructionist judge can come to either conclusion about Roe against Wade. They can look at it and say, wrongly decided 30 years ago, or whatever it is. We will overturn it.

They can...

BASH: What's your personal view on Roe v. Wade?

GIULIANI: They could look at it and say, it's been the law for this period of time. Therefore, we're going to respect the precedent.

Conservatives can come to that conclusion as well. I would leave it up to them. I would not have a litmus test on that. My -- my overall view would be judges who are going to struggle with the meaning of the Constitution.

Wow. The Straight Talk Express has got nothing on this guy.