Thought of the day: though elitist, a down-to-earth person in high office
I wouldn't vote for George W. Bush if he were running against Godzilla, and I still wince while watching his press conferences. Fielding questions yesterday in Crawford, he stuttered and blanked out like a freshman high school debate student, at one point turning to Donald Rumsfeld next to him and asking, "What's the word?" It's embarassing to have him lead the free world. And yet, there's a part of me that appreciates his sincerity--he may be unintelligent and condescendingly vague, but it's impossible for him to actually play a different character as Reagan and Clinton did. They did so much damage to the office of president by turning it into a character to project rather than a person to be. And for his many faults George W. is at least a down-to-earth person in the highest office in the land. No, he doesn't belong there, but there's an authenticity to him that has long disappeared in most career politicians. I imagine you just forget how to be real after awhile. But Bush is sincere. As embarassing as he can be, Bush is at least someone you can watch and say, there's a human being I can relate to--and almost live his incredible story vicariously. It's a sick game, one I deeply hope we as a country end in 2004, but for now, it is at least a change of pace from the smoke-and-mirrors of Reagan and Clinton.

• Yesterday's Thought
Footnote: Let no one mistake W for a plainfolks everyman, though. This is someone who would be in a sorry state had his name not handed him business and now political power. If he were George W. Smith, you think he'd have a D.C. zip code right now?