If the polls even remotely reflect the mood in America these days, President Bill Clinton will become the first Democrat elected to a second term since Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The polls show Clinton ahead in double digits. Even in Indiana - the first state to go to George Bush in the last presidential election - a poll shows Clinton ahead by six points.

Supporters called Ronald Reagan "The Great Communicator." Clinton makes Reagan look tongue-tied. Detractors called Ronald Reagan "The Teflon President." Clinton makes Reagan look like Velcro.

Another Roosevelt, Theodore, said: "The most successful politician is he who says what the people are thinking most often in the loudest voice."

That is President Bill Clinton.

People don't seem to care if Clinton's policies hurt them. He somehow has convinced them that he shares the pain. You know, "Ah feel yer poyne."

He has the remarkable ability to speak passionately and eloquently on one side of an argument, and then, as the politics of the day dictate, speak just as passionately on the other side.

An example?

When Hillary's healthcare plan was in its early stages, she proposed paying for it by limiting the growth of Medicare.

President Clinton supported the plan. He called it prudent. He was quick to point out that "these are not cuts. We are simply going to limit the growth" of Medicare to about 6 percent a year. He assured senior citizens that there would be no hardships. There would be plenty of money left and Medicare would continue unscathed.

When Republicans proposed exactly the same thing - limiting the growth of Medicare to around 6 percent a year - as part of their budget last year, Clinton was on the attack.

He used words like "eviscerate" and "devastate" to describe what would happen to Medicare. He said millions of senior citizens would suffer. He said he would not allow the Republicans to "destroy Medicare."

It's a matter of character. It's a matter of being willing to stand on principle even if it may cost you a few votes.

General Norman Schwartzkopf, commander of the U.S. forces in Desert Storm, once said he "judges a man based on character and competence" in that order.

I agree with that.

I try to apply that standard when I hire someone. You can teach someone how to improve his writing. You can't teach someone how to tell the truth, be honest and show up for work on time.

Right before the Democratic National Convention, Bill Clinton signed into law a GOP-urged welfare reform bill. The bill essentially pulls the federal rug out from under lots of unemployed people.

That bill was the antithesis of what Clinton has consistently claimed to believe - that government should help people.

Bottom line? Middle class America wants welfare reform. It's a hot-button issue. Want votes? Vote for welfare reform. And besides, welfare recipients don't vote.

So Clinton signs welfare reform into law.

But then, during the convention, Clinton said he would work during his second term to fix all the bad parts. He made it sound as if he was against the idea from the start, even though he pledged to "end welfare as we know it."

Some Clinton supporters even use that as a reason to re-elect him. We must put Clinton back in office so he can repair the bad legislation that he signed into law. How's that for Teflon?

Clinton time and time again has shown his willingness to thrust his moistened index finger into the political wind and then vote accordingly.

But Americans have short memories.

He has quite successfully co-opted many conservative social causes.

He talks of traditional family values while promoting gay rights. He talks of ending big government as we know it as the number of pages in the federal register grows each year.

He has enough scandalous baggage to last a dozen administrations. But you know what worries me most? No one seems to care.

Let's face it, the fact that Clinton's campaign manager was shacking up with a hooker didn't even cause a blip in the polls.

For a long time now we've been fed this results-oriented ideology. The end always justifies the means. There are no rights, no wrongs and no absolutes. What's wrong for you isn't necessarily wrong for me. Nothing else matters as long as you get the job done. As long as you can take care of business.

Until now, I thought Americans were smarter than that. Now I think we're buying into it. Frankly, it's probably a lot easier to meander through life if you never allow principles to get in your way.

I am sure this great nation will survive another four years of Bill Clinton. We'll have a little more government, a little less defense, a moderate economy, some liberal education reforms, a little more gun control, a little more drug use, a war on tobacco, and lots of talk about being tough on crime and supportive of families.

I guess I just wish we could somehow return character, honesty and integrity to the White House. [[In-content Ad]]