Monitor Breakfast

Al From is director of the Democratic Leadership Council.

"In our polling, we're finding that people are more concerned ... with stock prices going down than with losing their job. That is a new phenomenon in American politics... and I think it's going to have a profound effect."

"The early part of the tax cut ... probably turned out to be fairly timely in a slowing economy. The expensive, out-year parts of the tax cut are what we think need to be reviewed and, if not frozen, delayed.... The key on a tough stance on taxes is to make it clear that it is an essential element of growing the economy."

"We have to restore investor and consumer confidence. That is an issue of leadership, and so far, for whatever reason, this president has had a hard time doing it."

"Prescription drugs is an issue where Democrats think they have an advantage and Republicans want to cut that advantage, and so we're probably going to have a lot of political bickering. In the end, what we really need to do is reform Medicare."

"I'm sure that we're perceived as the business Democrats by some people. But frankly, I don't see anything wrong with that.... We believe that you've got to have a growing private economy if you want to be a party of opportunity."