WASHINGTON — Iraq is a mess, the world resents America and its debt-burdened economy is an international embarrassment. That was the Democratic perspective voiced at a conference that ended here on Wednesday, that things could hardly be more grim. "The bad news is, we're headed in the wrong direction" said Sandy Berger, President Clinton's last national security adviser. "The worse news is we can't afford it." So why, then, was there a smile on Mr. Berger's jowly face? Why was John Podesta, the former Clinton chief of staff, standing in the wings and shouting "Tremendous!" into a cellphone? And wasn't...