Clinton Makes Hay

Bill Clinton and America's soccer moms haven't talked much lately. Which is why the current budget tussle, still unresolved by Thursday morning, has been such a welcome opportunity for the President to appeal to them directly. Citing "philosophical differences" with the Republicans over education spending, Clinton piled on the pressure for Congress to spend $6 billion over the next five years on new teachers and construction work. Republicans say they're prepared spend more on education, but want to transfer spending decisions from the federal government to local school boards.

White House and congressional negotiators have until midnight Wednesday to resolve their differences before Congress is forced to enact a fourth temporary spending bill. The election-eve Republican caution evident in the budget fight also appears to be weighing on Judiciary Committee chairman Henry Hyde. Hyde told the Washington Post Tuesday that the 15 charges against Clinton should be pared down in order to meet a New Year deadline for the impeachment investigation. "We need to think about narrowing the charges down to the ones that are the most provable," said Hyde. So the question becomes, which Clinton will those soccer moms remember when the polling booths open in November?