For the Record.(President Bush showing a better-than-expected approval rating)(this and other items are discussed)(Brief Article)

President Bush's approval rating at 59 percent, in Fox News survey. . . . In Harris poll, 51 percent rate Bush performance better than expected. . . . Sen. Joe Biden (D., Del.) on Bush, in National Journal: "One of his obvious strengths goes unspoken very often. He appears not to want to be president badly. I think that's a great asset for a president. I sincerely mean that. I think it's one of the best things he had going for him when he was running. He appears not to be lusting after the office." . . . White House counsel Alberto Gonzales, on judicial nominations: "This may be the most important thing a president does. . . . A lot of the things that a president does can be undone by the next administration or the next Congress. This lasts a lifetime." . . . "The Bush administration has filled only 11 percent of its most senior government positions and is unlikely to get even half of its roughly 500 top policymakers in place before Labor Day," reports Washington Post.

Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), in Rolling Stone: "If Bush had sat down and said, 'I need you as vice president in order to run the country,' of course I would have said yes." . . . More McCain: "I'm becoming more of an environmentalist." . . . Sen. Zell Miller (D., Ga.): "My Democrat friends need to be reminded and return to those days of yesteryear when they supported cutting tax rates, and did not engage in this endless class warfare that they have today become a Johnny-one-note on." . . . "I am not going to switch to the Republican party," insists Miller in TV interview, addressing rumors to contrary. "But neither am I going to march in lockstep with some of these Democratic senators up here blindly off a cliff, and that's where sometimes they try to lead me." . . . Former senator Bob Kerrey, to grad students who asked him to resign as head of New School University in wake of Vietnam controversy: "Look at my record. I don't think you will find that I am yellow-dog imperialist scum." . . . NBC's Tim Russert asks Sen. Ted Kennedy (D., Mass.) whether he will run for president in 2004: "No, no, I don't think so."

n Just as Sen. Hillary Clinton (D., N.Y.) campaigned with placards and bumper stickers reading only "Hillary," New York gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo (D.) unveils buttons and signs saying merely "Andrew." . . . Former attorney general Janet Reno says she may run for governor of Florida. . . . As Chicago Tribune polls show only 20 percent of Illinois voters believing Gov. George Ryan (R.) deserves second term, pro-life Democrat Glenn Poshard considers another bid for office. . . . Former labor-secretary nominee Linda Chavez founds new group called Stop Union Political Abuse.

Justice Clarence Thomas on working at Supreme Court: "The job is not worth doing for what they pay. The job is not worth doing for the grief. But it is worth doing for the principle." . . ...