What's Best For The Patient?

Bush may have Teddy pegged correctly. Though he's by far the most liberal of the bill's top three sponsors, Kennedy is also the most skilled legislator, the one who knows how to cut deals and enjoys the process. He plans to give Bush fits on judicial nominees, and he will try to put Bush on the spot with bills Republicans hate, like a minimum-wage increase. But Kennedy can be pragmatic. "I try to set the bar high and see if we can reach it," he says. If he and Bush can get near the bar on patients' rights, Kennedy won't mind lowering it to get to a deal. "If we can't," he says, "I'll battle for another day." That's a language Bush can understand.

--With reporting by James Carney/Washington