Sidney Blumenthal, journalist, former Clinton White House aide and senior advisor to Hillary Clinton, today spoke at Third Way to promote his new book "The Strange Death of Republican America".

He said that the US faces a "cataclysmic" final few months of the Bush term, and that Bush is determined to leave a lasting mark on the world regardless of who is elected the next president.

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"Bush feels unconstrained right now, and a sense of urgency," Blumenthal said, later referring to a Jerusalem Post story that warns Bush plans to attack Iran before his term ends in January.

On the battle for the 2008 election, Blumenthal said the Democrats are mistaken in their effort to define John McCain as offering a third Bush term. He said that's inaccurate and the public won't buy it. "It's a hard sell," he said. McCain has other weaknesses the Dems should press harder, Blumenthal said.