He tells Tim Russert he doesn’t entirely agree with Sen. Kennedy’s speech of last week. He says he agrees with Kennedy that “we have become part of the problem, if not the problem.” (No mention of al Qaeda chieftan Zarkawi or the Baathist “Party of Return” as part of the problem.) But he doesn’t agree with Kennedy’s proposal to withdraw troops immediately or on a firm timetable.

He is, as he was during the campaign, straining to win the approval of both the hard left and more moderate factions of the Democratic Party. He wants both Michael Moore and Joe Lieberman to agree with him. Even his legs aren’t long enough for such a wide straddle.