On the eve of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum's dedication, former chief of staff to the president Josh Bolten insists the new center on the campus of Southern Methodist University is not an “advocacy piece” trying reshape history. Rather, he and other top former aides view it as a display of the difficult decisions their former boss had to make.

“It's very Bush," Bolten said, alluding to the sure-footed “decider” mantra that dominated the 43^rd president’s time in office. “Here are the facts that I saw. Here are the principles that I applied. And here’s the decision I made. You make your own decision,” he said, channeling his former boss.

"Presidents don't have the luxury of making easy decisions," said Bolten’s chief of staff predecessor Andy Card. 

Bolten and Card joined former counselor to the president Dan Bartlett and chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush, Anita McBride, in Dallas for a special edition of PRESS Pass from the SMU campus.  

The war in Iraq, the president’s economic record, and the September 11^th terror attacks are chief among the critical “decision points” of the Bush presidency being re-visited this week.

Bartlett said, because of terror attacks of September 11th 2001, President Bush will be remembered as a wartime president.

The attacks, Card argued, were so influential that "the mindset of governing had changed" in their aftermath. 

"It wasn't just about reflecting on what had happened," he said. "You actually had to be proactive to prevent the next attack."

September 11^th also highlighted the president's responsibility as "the temporary custodian of our safety," McBride believes. "Every president from that point forward... will have that responsibility."

President Bush’s economic record has also come under scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans alike. Josh Bolten argued that criticisms of the administration’s fiscal policies were “unfair” and Bartlett said the center's opening allowed former Bush team members to provide a word of caution to their fellow party members. 

"I think it would behoove certainly the Republican Party not to continue... with criticism of a record that really wasn't so bad. This occasion provides us an opportunity to say just that."

Watch the entire PRESS Pass interview above to hear more about the Bush legacy including why they believe the rise in technological communications has hurt our public and private institutions. 

Sixty-six years since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, a lesser known figure who played a big roll in making that happen comes to life thanks to Harrison Ford in the new movie "42."

The actor believes his character, Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey,"accelerated the Civil Rights Movement in a way that was very significant," through his signing of Jackie Robinson as the first African American in Major League Baseball.

Ford hopes that young people can watch the film and draw lessons to use in their own life, adding that there is a benefit from being "reminded of our history," especially, "where we have succeeded and how much more there is to be done."

"It’s the job of young people to do that now. They have the opportunity, they have the ability, and there’s more to be done."

Ford also attended a screening of the movie at the White House. The actor applauded the president's job performance thus far, but hopes the country can get past the current "political malaise."

"I think the president’s doing, you know, all things considered, a wonderful job," Ford said. However he hopes the country can regain "the very unique and critical political process which has always helped this nation to meet its challenges," because in the current political climate, "It ain’t happening."

Watch David's entire interview above to hear more from Harrison Ford including why this script is "one of the best I've ever read."

Retired General Stanley McChrystal regrets the controversy that happened in the wake a Rolling Stone article that ultimately led to his resignation as commanding general in the War in Afghanistan.

“I regret that it went that way…  but you know, I was in command. I was responsible.” McChrystal said.

The general sat down with David for a wide-ranging interview for his new memoir My Share of the Task released earlier this month.

The movie Zero Dark Thirty has been making headlines for it depiction of United States intelligence personnel using enhanced interrogation techniques as a part of the detainee program in the lead-up to the successful raid on Osama Bin Laden’s Pakistan compound. McChrystal rejected the argument some have made that using “torture” is an acceptable practice and dismissed the notion that the end result justifies the means.

“The effect of torture, is really on the torturer,” McChrystal said. “It corrodes the moral fiber of the force.” He also cited its effect on perceptions of the U.S. from the outside world, specifically pointing to the Abu Ghraib scandal, saying that it mobilized anti-western forces against America.

The former top commander in Afghanistan, who had previously spent five years as head of the Joint Special Operations Command, also focused on the state of America’s armed forces today and how they will look in the future. He argued that the use of Special Forces will become the “marquee part of modern warfare,” with an important focus put on knowledge of the enemy. “Who knows the most and who learns the quickest, wins in any fight,” he said, adding “it’s not going to be a bulk number of soldiers.”

Watch the entire PRESS Pass conversation above to hear more from General McChrystal including a frank discussion on the controversy surrounding the friendly-fire death of former NFL Star turned Army Ranger Pat Tillman in 2004.

The federal response to the financial crisis was “too skewed” to favor bankers on Wall Street instead of families on main street, according to former federal bank regulator Sheila Bair.

“I think we were too skewed in our efforts towards stabilizing big Wall Street firms and not so much on Main Street,” Bair said. “We still need to do a lot of work there.”

Bair, who served as head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from June 2006 to July 2011, witnessed the 2008 financial crisis firsthand and took on an important role in the subsequent efforts to recover from it. Shortly after the crisis, the FDIC she headed moved to take over 25 failed banks. Blair, however, didn’t always agree with the other key players in the administration, especially her colleagueTreasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, when it came to the bailouts of banks termed “too big to fail.” 

“I think we should have imposed more accountability,” she said. “Sure, we had to step in and do something. But why couldn't we have required bond holders to take a little bit of a haircut?” Bair suggested. “They couldn't take 10%? You know, they had to be paid off at par.”

Bair’s criticism of Geithner did not end with his handling of the bank bailouts. She also leveled criticism of his negotiation skills when responding to the fact that the Obama administration had recently tapped him to be the lead negotiator for the White House on the fiscal cliff talks.

“I don't think this is Tim's strong suit. I think Tim was given the job of Treasury Secretary because he understood the banking system and he -- the President wanted to make sure we had continued progress to banking stability, so that was really why Tim was put there,” Bair, Geithner’s former colleague, said. “He's not a budget guy, he's not a tax guy, he's never really worked in this sphere. And I think somebody like Erskine Bowles, who has stature on the Hill, can work with both sides of the aisle, who has strong … years of credentials in this type of area would be a very good pick to be the new Treasury Secretary.”

Bair, who was singular in her efforts in 2007 to stem the tidal wave of homeforeclosures before they took place, also spoke out about the government’s failure to alleviate the housing crisis for middle class families, and in turn, its contribution to the growing disparity in wealth in the United States.

“For main street families, most of their wealth is in their house, and once they lose the equity in their house, they lose their wealth. You know wealth -- income disparities, but wealth disparities too – are as bad as they’ve almost ever been in this country right now, and that’s because of the combination of bailout policies and monetary policies.”

Sheila Bair is now Senior Adviser to the Pew Charitable Trusts where she continues to monitor and encourage regulatory reform as Chair of the Systemic Risk Council alongside Former Senator Chuck Hagel and Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill. For more from Sheila Bair watch the full PRESS Pass above.

Famed Hollywood Producer Harvey Weinstein, a top Obama supporter, denied charges that his new film is being released as a way to bolster the president's re-election chances.  

"It's not political; it's historical," Weinstein said. 

The movie, Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama bin Laden, which critics say paints President Obama and his role in ordering the assault in a favorable light, is set to air this Sunday night, just two days before the presidential election.

"I would not do anything political … when it comes to making one of my movies. I feel a sacred trust with the audience."

The film's director, John Stockwell (who you might recognize from the 80s blockbuster Top Gun) lauded the president for green-lighting the raid, even though it was a "politically unwise call."

"To me it’s unfortunate that certain people are unwilling to give the President at least partial credit for green lighting the raid because I’m certain that if that helicopter crash had resulted in dead Americans, if Osama Bin Laden had not been there, he would be taking the blame and this election would be much different."

Weinstein also didn't miss an opportunity to hit Mitt Romney when asked what kind of film he would make about the GOP challenger.

"I have a great title for the Mitt Romney movie and I’ve done some research. Just like the Twilight series, I think Mitt Romney… should star in Hindsight because … anytime he does something he always wants a do over if he gets it wrong."

"I told Brad Pitt and Bradley Cooper about that,” Weinstein continued. “They’re both up for nominations … this year and they’re worried that if Mitt makes that movie, it could be a big challenge at the Oscar for best actor."

You can watch the entire interview above to hear more from the two men about Seal Team Six which airs Sunday night on National Geographic. 

New York Times numbers guru Nate Silver says recent polling clearly shows President Obama as the front runner. While the lead may be small, Silver concedes, likening it to a one-touchdown lead in football game, “late in the fourth quarter, that can become pretty meaningful especially if you have kind of have possession of the football.”

“Obama got a convention bounce and it seemed like his momentum was flagging a bit and then frankly since [Romney’s] 47 percent [comments] came out, now you’re seeing Obama with numbers as strong as they’ve been all year,” he said.

Silver, who puts the president’s chance of winning re-election at 80 percent, has gained a reputation for his political prognosticating. In 2008, he correctly picked 49 out of the 50 states in the presidential race, as well as the eventual winner in all 35 senate races. His new book, The Signal and the Noise, looks at, as the subtitle suggests, "why so many predictions fail - but some don't."

Watch David's entire PRESS Pass interview with Nate Silver above to hear more about the 2012 race, and what sports can teach us about predicting elections. 

Denzel Washington and Michael Phelps, two stars at the tops of their professions, are giving back to a group they say provides the same ingredients that allowed them to be successful in their own pursuits.

The group, the Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA), is in its 106^th year and helps four million children annually by "enabling all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens."

Washington, who has lent his celebrity to the BGCA as a spokesperson for 20 years,  is also an alumnus of 'the club,' as he refers to it. He says that he sees some of his own experience with the BGCA when he talks with current club members.

He recalled his time as a member of “the club” when a mentor singled him out and gave him a dose of inspiration. “‘You know, with your smarts you can do anything you want to do in life,” the mentor said to the young Washington.  It was a moment the future Academy Award-winning actor wouldn’t forget.

Though not an alumnus, 18-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps’s shares Washington’s passion for the club.

"Whenever I’m in the club, I’m myself. You’ll see a gigantic smile on my face the whole entire time because I’m enjoying it. And these kids are the future of our country."

The swimmer’s new initiative with the group, in conjunction with his foundation, is aimed at teaching children water safety and swimming basics as a means to combat childhood obesity and a healthier lifestyle. 

Watch David's entire interview with Denzel Washington, Michael Phelps, and BGCA President Jim Clark above to hear more about the Boys and Girls club of American as well as what is coming next for Denzel Washington.

Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, co-chairs of the president's fiscal commission and widely hailed as serious thought leaders on dealing with the country's economic problem, had strong criticisms for both men vying to be President of the United States for the next four years

Erskine Bowles, a former Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton, chided Romney's economic plan saying "the arithmetic just doesn't work."

When asked if Romney could justify his tax cut proposals, Bowles said “I don’t think he can and the math is easy to prove.”

Simpson, a former Republican Senator from Wyoming, was not surprised the president "walked away" from their commission's report that was released December 1, 2010. He argued that former President Bill Clinton would have made more of an effort to embrace the Simpson Bowles plan. "I know that he would've agreed," Simpson said, citing the bi-artisan support their report received from members of the commission. Clinton would have "wrapped [his] arms around it and taken it right into [his] heart."

On the 2012 race generally, Bowles believes it has become "a choice election," saying that Mitt Romney has not "given the American people the substance in his response to convince them that they ought to make a change today." 

Simpson, on the other hand believes the election will be a referendum on the president and that Romney's chance will come from "Obama fatigue."

"I think people are going to vote against Obama, which will be to Romney’s advantage."

Watch the entire interview with Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles above to hear more from the economic duo, including some strong words of warning to his own party from Alan Simpson. 

The day after First Lady Michelle Obama took the stage, women’s rights advocate Sandra Fluke previewed her own speech to the Democratic National Convention this evening saying she believes the gender gap will continue to favor the President.

“It's still in double digits,” says Fluke. “That support from women is not going anywhere.  And I think that's because women realize that we have an agenda to get done in the next four years.  You know, the Violence Against Women Act still has not been reauthorized.  The Fair Pay Act has not been passed.  So our work is not done.  That women’s support's not going anywhere.”

The former Georgetown Law student became widely known earlier this year when, after being denied a speaking role in a Congressional hearing on religious liberty and the birth control, talk show host Rush Limbaugh criticized Fluke for her support of healthcare coverage for contraception. Fluke has since become somewhat of a field marshall in President Obama’s fight for women voters.

“What I want to make clear is the choice that we have facing us this November,” Fluke explains. "I think the best way to do that is to really talk about their records, especially their records on issues that matter to women -- on women's health, on equal pay, and on violence against women. 

Watch the entire PRESS Pass conversation above to hear more from Sandra Fluke about this generation of young voters, bipartisanship in Washington and  the importance of seeing women in office. 

Convention veteran Tom Brokaw thinks job number one for President Obama at the DNC this week is to convey to the American people that his "journey is not complete.”

Brokaw thinks the president should make the case that “the work is not yet done,” and “We all got in this together, we're only going to get out of it together."

Brokaw, whose first convention was in 1968, thinks week-long political gatherings are unnecessary in today's political environment. He argues that it's time to "rewrite the script" on traditional conventions and reduce them to one day.

"Do that one big night and then have that by satellite transmitted around the country to football stadiums in Chicago, and Denver, and Seattle, and have big get-out-the-vote rallies." This will "re-involve the American people" in the process, he believes.

Watch David's full PRESS Pass conversation with Tom Brokaw above to hear more from the veteran journalist on past conventions, and how Bill Clinton can help the president this time around. 

Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) previewed Mitt Romney's primetime convention address tonight saying it will have a mix of elements from both the “head” and the “heart.”

Ayotte is one of the many young female  GOP stars that were showcased this week at the party’s gathering in Tampa. After last week’s “rape” comments from Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), the Republican party has had to deal with the resurgence of the abortion rights debate and talk of the “gender gap.” The party also just adopted a platform that does not include exceptions on abortion in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother. Mitt Romney, on the other hand, does believe in having those exceptions.  

When asked how Mitt Romney's views on this square with the party, Sen. Ayotte said, "there's wide room in our party for diverse views on those issues. ... That is demonstrated [by] our nominee and many in our party who have their own personal views on these issues, and we respect that."

The freshman senator also thinks the GOP is a different party than it was under the Bush administration and has become more fiscally responsible.

"I've acknowledged that when we look at the debt this is a bipartisan issue, that Republicans spent too much and Democrats spend too much." Ayotte pointed to budget proposals from Paul Ryan to show that the GOP is not "gonna duck the tough issues."

Watch the entire PRESS Pass conversation above to hear more from Sen. Kelly Ayotte and the 2012 race, and get her reviews on some of the speeches thus far in Tampa.

Former RNC Chairman and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour thinks Paul Ryan's keynote address tonight will shy away from partisan messaging and have “much less red meat” than the normal campaign fare.

“I think they want to make the point [that] … this is a serious election and the American people deserve somebody who's willing to lead, even when it isn't easy," he said.

Barbour, a man who has planned his own Republican convention (1996), said there's one major thing he hopes will come out of the convention: he wants "the American people to come out of here knowing the challenger much, much better."

He argues that Romney's image for the past five months has "suffered $200 million of carpet bombing, fear and smear." This convention, he hopes, will allow voters to see the "real" Mitt Romney.

Watch David's full conversation with Haley Barbour above to hear more of the former governor's thoughts on his party, and what they need to do to win support from independent voters.