Question: One thing I see is the failure of moderate Republicans to actually oppose right-wing policies over the last six years so their voices have gotten smaller and smaller. As a result, there’s no strong voice for moderate Republicans out there on specific issues and to say to this president that he’s been wrong on Iraq, on the environment.

Susan Molinari: I disagree with that premise. Both political parties, to a very large extent, have silenced their moderates. There are no halos in either political party in terms of how to deal with people who don’t follow the party dogma at the time. When it comes to the president of the United States and the issue of moderates, it’s case by case, district by district. Think of John McCain; he’s one of the most in-demand Republican speakers – and (Rudy) Giuliani, who’s traveling throughout the U.S. They’re pretty viable moderate Republicans out there appealing to Republicans, Conservatives.

Q: They’re speaking the conservative message …

Molinari: They’re speaking about leadership.

Mike McCurry: The best rebuttal to your point is that in the largest state in the country, a moderate Republican (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who is more or less running as a Democrat, is going to be re-elected governor.

Q: Susan, I want to put you in (House Democratic leader Nancy) Pelosi’s office after the election and, Mike, you in Bush’s Oval Office. Assume the House goes Democratic and we get unique dynamics. Old bulls (Democratic veterans) are coming back and want to reap some blood and also have the party discipline to set up their candidate in 2008. Here’s the unique dynamic. You have a sitting president in his second term and a vice president not running again. From a communication standpoint, what are you going to do in the first 100 days?

Molinari: If I’m advising Pelosi, my advice would be to rein in some of the more liberal tendencies of the Democratic Party. Be more business-friendly. It would be smart for them to pick five things they can do that are business-friendly and can appeal to corporations in America, taxpayers and the 70 percent of Americans who own stocks because of their 401K accounts. The economy is going to be another conversation (with Pelosi) and unemployment another.

Q: But that’s an enormous challenge given the makeup of the Democratic Party.

Molinari: It all goes back to the discipline conversation.

McCurry: As for President Bush, he should call (then-House Speaker Pelosi) and congratulate her and invite her to the White House and talk about what legislation they can pass. He should accept the gracious resignation of Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and make (former Secretary of State) Jim Baker secretary of defense. He should allow (Vice President) Dick Cheney to say his heart condition is sufficient to let him go into retirement and make Condoleezza Rice vice president. He ought to change the tonal quality of the way we argue politics and be the compassionate conservative he once told us he was; a uniter, not the divider. He should bring some new talent into the White House because they’re going to be pretty exhausted and despairing over there. Most have been there a lot longer than you humanly can stay in those jobs without going bananas. But will he do any of that? No, because he doesn’t really want to change.

Q: Let’s assume the Democrats gain control of the House and/or the Senate. What happens in foreign policy? Particularly in some of the states on the other side of the spectrum – Iran, Venezuela, North Korea?

Alan Murray: Where foreign policy is going, it has already gone. The unilateral approach in the early years of the Bush administration is clearly out the window. Secretary Rice is on this wild effort to find allies and to engage more in diplomacy recognizing we can’t handle North Korea or Iran on our own. That direction will continue regardless of who will be in the White House.

McCurry: When foreign policy intrudes on politics and politics intrudes on foreign policy, nothing good happens. I don’t think any party changes will make much difference. Look, the reality is that (the Bush administration) is trying to do some things that are the right thing to do. They have to figure out how they disengage from Iraq and do it in such a way as not to make the place a harbor for terrorists to roam through that volatile region. That’s the first thing on the agenda. They have to re-engage in the peace process in the Middle East. They have to engage China in what to do about Korea and they have to re-engage the six-country talks there. If there’s political dynamic here, it’s going to play into 2008 and make the question: Why is our leadership reviled in almost every part of this planet? That becomes a debate we need and should have.

Molinari: In foreign policy, there’s probably less change than anyplace else. There are just few options. Regardless of the way Mike thinks the world feels about the U.S., which I disagree with, they all understand there’s no easy solution to North Korea or Iran, and working together the way the president has done has to be pursued. The stakes are just so high.

Q: We’ve all seen the cover of Time magazine this week. “Obama, Mr. Perfect.” Can I have your comments on that?

McCurry: (Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack) Obama is a very, very talented guy, very smart and very savvy….So if the time has come for the country to be turning to someone who looks inspirational and visionary and reflects changes in our culture, the time may be right to start thinking about running for president. (But) after he’s scuffed up a bit two years from now, will he still be attractive and the dreamboat guy he is right now? I don’t know. He has that capability. It’s a dilemma for Mrs. Clinton. She’d make us a good president if she’s elected. If she runs….She would make one good Senate majority leader. I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion she will run.

Molinari: Who really knows who Barack Obama is, except for his book? The fact that both political parties have people like Mrs. Clinton, who has a record, a John McCain, equally acknowledged and respected by both political parties as a leader. And a Rudy Giuliani. It’s a very exciting time because, obviously, the vice president is not going to run for re-election. It’s the first time in my political history I can remember it’s kind of wide open. As for the 2006 elections, at the end of the day, we’re going to have a Congress and a Senate and a template for the 2008 election.