GEORGE WILL: Well, this is not a phony scandal because as the principal Watergate scholar knows, John Dean sent a memo to Mr. Higby, who was the assistant of the Chief of Staff Haldeman, saying, we should use the machinery -- the federal machinery of government to screw our enemy. That's what this was about up there.



I say one thing about this -- we've identified him as the front- runner, Christie. Nothing matters at this point. At this point in the 1972 cycle, the front-runner was Edmund Muskie, sic transit gloria mundi.



In 1980, people said watch out for John Connally. He's a coming star.



1984, they said John Glenn, the movie "The Right Stuff" is coming out. Watch out for John Glenn.



In 2008, to come to modern history, at this point, far and away leader was Rudy Giuliani.