You're starting to see the beginnings of a shift in the center of gravity away from Bush and his agenda toward the next agenda and the next leader of the party.

provide the center of gravity for it.

The Bush agenda is anathema to Maryland,

You have to run with a back like him. He has a low center of gravity. The big thing is his cutting ability. He's a slasher. He can cut on a dime and change direction like that. That's what you need in this league, someone who can do a lot of things in a small area. He's a threat to break it at any time. He's strong, too. He can be a power runner.

You have to preserve the shuttle's center of gravity, so it's not like packing a car.

So I see the terrorist attacks as acknowledgement on the terrorists' part that this is a center of gravity [in the war on terror] and that they're losing.