Doug,

The middle is where you get to first, then hold your ground; selectively welcoming similar types, while ignoring those from one extreme and casting aspersions on those at other extreme.

It's not easy, you gotta be smart, quick, determined and have a partner who shares those qualities plus the ambition to push mercilessly in case you happen to stumble (sound like Bill&Hill?). Did you hear what A. Specter said in his recent book. He recently took the impeachment hawks to task for failing to understand one thing about Bill, he could add.

Knowing that the worst case vote count could not convict, Bill adopted the strategy of letting the process pay out which made the hawks look silly, and lessened the chances that he'd face post office procecution.

He continually allowed his lieutenants on the hill offer hope that they might vote for a lesser charge. And offer that guaranteed an end-game that he could not lose.

What he lacked in moral compass he made up for in comprehension. Lesson: a moral compass is a fine thing, but if you let it push your too far to one side or the other you can get knocked off by someone with both feet planted.

It's funny that Bush got his political comupance from a republican moderate, because when Bill was honcho there were no republican moderates - just a vast right wing conspriacy.