In our February 2006 issue, CBS Political Analyst Jeff Greenfield introduced us to "The No Bullshit Caucus," those members of the House and the Senate who distinguished themselves by resorting to answers that were honest, direct and often unpopular when faced with even the thorniest issues. With about a third of this election year behind us—-actually, not quite that much!—we thought it would be a good time to ask Jeff how the main contenders are stacking up, no bullshit-wise.

PLAYBOY: On the basis of the campaign he has run, Senator Obama may getting himself elected president, but is he doing much to get himself into the No Bullshit Caucus?

GREENFIELD: One of the things that has attracted supporters to Obama's side is his willingness on some matters to go beyond the normal conventions of political pap. On matters that touch on race, for instance, he has called out black churches for insufficient attention to anti-Semitism and homophobia; he has chastised mothers who feed their kids "cold Popeye chicken for breakfast" as contributing to the obesity epidemic. And he's talked often about brooder issues of parental responsibility. As the first African-American with a real shot at the Presidency, he may have the freedom to do this--in a "only-Nixon-could-go-to-China " way.
 

His recent speech on race did touch on some very old issues with some fresh perspective; trying to explain some of the traditions of the black church to whites; trying to explain legitimate white grievances in areas like crime and affirmative action to blacks. In my view, that speech did not qualify a "no B.S." because it essentially ducked the issue that gave rise to the speech in the first place: how could he remain for years in a church whose pastor espoused views some of which were clearly beyond the pale; how could he have said nothing about these views until he decided to run for President. His line that he could no more disown Pastor Jeremiah Wright than he could his white grandmother rather clearly failed the "no B.S." test.

PLAYBOY: How has this election year been shaping up overall? Have there been any memorable No Bullshit moments? Any notably Full-of-Shit Moments?

GREENFIELD: Looking back on the campaign, you'd have to acknowledge that Rep. Ron Paul told his audiences what they manifestly did not want to hear--most especially, in arguing that the September 11th attacks were in part triggered by US policy in the Middle East (whether those answers were illuminating or accurate is quite another matter). John McCain, even as he was signaling his surrender on immigration reform, pointedly reminded Republicans that many Spanish surnames were on that Vietnam memorial. Similarly, Mike Huckabee defended his attempt while Arkansas Governor to let the children of illegal immigrants pay in-state tuition; and he was blunt in going after economic fat cats who profited while their companies were laying off workers and slashing health care and pension benefits.

On the Democratic side, Joe Biden's somber insistence on focusing on Iraq, and the need for partition among Sunni, Shiite and Kurd, wasn't the kind of message that triggered wild applause; but it was true to his convictions.

As far as the Utterly Full of It category: it's hard to top Sen. Clinton's recent account of her Bosnian heroics, especially when the videotape so flatly contradicted her account. But I would add to this Mitt Romney's response to the question of why none of his sons served in the military. One of the ways they're serving their country, he argued was by helping elect me President.

PLAYBOY: Speaking of Sen. McCain—he was in your original No Bullshit Caucus. Does he still belong? Do you expect to see a different kind of campaign from him the rest
of the way?

GREENFIELD: McCain's real test is yet to come. He's shown signs of waffling on his "Straight Talk" commitment by arguing that he opposed the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 because they weren't offset by spending cuts. When he was voting against them, he explicitly argued that they were tilted too much toward the affluent--not a great argument to be making to the Republican base. In 2000, he said that he wished abortion were not a political debate point, and worried about the consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade. Now he says he hopes that decision is overturned.

But the biggest test may well be in what he says about the economy--a subject he has acknowledged was not at the center of his concerns, and one that may well be the key issue of the 2008 general election. McCain's past is filed with instances where his views clashed frontally with core Republican talking points. We will see whether that remains true this fall.