Big government conservatism is an oxymoron. In 1965 Lyndon Johnson built public housing. Now it looks like we will build trailer parks. This will be defining, in the sense that the neo-cons will end up saying government can do this. The real hero of these people is FDR. I don't happen to believe any of this will work. You can't rebuild New Orleans society.

Bush's compassionate conservatism has morphed into big government conservatism, and that isn't what the base is looking for. The White House and the congressional leadership have got to reinvigorate the Republican base. In off-year elections ... if your base isn't energized, particularly in a relatively evenly divided electorate, you've got more problems than you think you have.

It's Kennedy's war, Vietnam. Lyndon Johnson got all the flak, but it's Kennedy's war.

Lyndon Johnson faced some clear moral issues.

Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam were perfect for Lyndon Johnson: 220 million against 18 million, water buffalo and all. No risk, really.

You might say that Lyndon Johnson is a cross between a Baptist preacher and a cowboy.