It could become much worse. I could imagine a scenario in the next presidential election in which we would look back fondly on the experience of 1996. We really have to deal with issue with soft money and issue advocacy together.

If those train wrecks and if that gamesmanship is being driven by broad political forces, narrow margins in the House and the Senate, divided party government, difficult decisions that have to be made, genuine differences that exist, mobilization of interest groups — if all of those things are true, you are going to find vehicles to have those fights, whether you have a two-year budget cycle or not.

They are trying to neutralize this issue cluster with Kerry's war record and with lots of pleasing rhetoric.

It could become much worse.

Overall, this is a good budget for this year, ... We're in a presidential election and next year a new president will tell us what he wants. If it's a president of the Republican party, a President Bush, we will be seeking different priorities.

A million dollars in the presidential election is a spit in the ocean. It's not a lot of money.