RAW: They never struck me as being particularly intelligent people.

CCN: Is it possible for a stupid person to become the president of the United States of America?

RAW: It sure looks that way to me. I mean when the doctors announced that Reagan has Alzheimer's, my reaction was, Jesus, I knew that 10 years ago. What's the matter with the medical profession that took them this long to figure it out?

CCN: So, would you say, then, that maybe the executive of the country is not really the pinnacle of power. I mean, if a person with certain attention deficits and whatever you want to call Ronald Reagan could become president of the United States, a former Hollywood actor could become president of the United States, do you think this speaks to something about the political scene in America?

RAW: Yeah, they picked a mediocre actor. I wonder if they picked Paul Newman, he would have made a much better president.

He's a better actor, and he's obviously a more intelligent person. I'd really like to see Barbara Streisand as president.

CCN: She has the power drive for it. What do you think psychologically about somebody who aspires to be president of the United States who wields a lot of power over, let's say, situations and other people and you or I?

RAW: There's probably not that much difference. They have a different way of seeking to influence history, but I definitely want to influence history.

I don't admire Karl Marx in particular ... he's one of my least favorite political figures. But if you were to put a gun to my head and tie me to a lie detector and ask me ...,

"What's your highest hope for your books?" It would be that they shake up the 21st century as much as Marx shook up the 20th century but in a more constructive way. Not in a destructive way.

I really want to change the world. I think everybody has that in the back of his mind. So some people want to do it by becoming president.

Buckie Fuller used to answer people who asked, "Why don't you run for president?" He said, "I've got more important things to do," because his way of changing the world is through inventions.

My way is through books.

Bill Clinton's way is through going into that dirty area called politics. Somebody has to do it.

Somebody has to clean cesspools too.

CCN: Do you think Clinton and Gingrich might makes some sort of a team? A progressive team? A future thinking team as opposed to an atavistic type of team? Will there be a team at all?

RAW: Well, Clinton has certainly been generous towards the opposition in many ways.

When Gingrich's mother made that mistake on television of quoting Newt about Hillary, instead of taking advantage of that to tromp on Gingrich, Clinton made a joke out of it. "I'm glad Connie Chung didn't interview my mother."

He's trying very hard to build bridges. I think that is his main vision of himself as a bridge builder, a problem solver and a bridge builder. That's what he wants to be, I think.

CCN: Is this the right time for somebody like that?

RAW: Maybe not. Maybe this is a time for extremists. But in that case, we're in for a bad decade. I hope bridge builders have a chance.

CCN: Oh boy, me too.