Listening to Bush say anything at this point, is like sitting in a hot, humid, airless library, in an uncomortable chair, studying for a field exam in monetary theory while putting up with the jerk across the table from you as s/he incessently 'clicks their bic' pen. If this were the case, you could pick up your book, and move to the nearest air conditioned coffee shop. But arranging for residency in a different country until January 20, 2008 isn't quite as convenient. At this stage of the game, I could probably find fault with the way Shrub combs his hair. He's simply exhausted my patience and, apparently, Joan's. Perfectly understandable.

Good try, Glenn. I caught that you had made the attempt from the Daily Dish. The response was predictable, but I think it's important that you made the effort, and documented the results of that effort. This administration is like a runaway train. Sometimes I feel like all I can do is stand back and be a witness to the carnage.

Sooner or later liberals are going to have to learn to fight. Or, we're doomed to the occasional 8 years level of representation, just as we've seen over the past several election cycles. As for stooping to the level of the Right Wing Noise Machine ... Listen, I grew up with three brothers. When they threw a punch, you're right, I could have gone and told Mommy and Daddy with my tear laden long lashes. I discovered I was much better served by a well placed punch straight to the bridge of the nose. Once I mastered that, a new geopolitical balance was achieved. Do we want this election, and the next? Yes? Or, no? If we make nice-nice, and get creamed by slime, innuendos, half-truths, and outright lies, who do you want to call? Ghostbusters? I no longer trust the American public to see the difference. 2004 cured me for life.

Hoisted from MarcCooper.com http://tinyurl.com/yo8n6o regarding efforts to undermine Maliki,

Wonderful news, it is, for the families of American war dead. They can now comfort themselves with the idea that their sons were sacrificed to defend an Iraqi government that we are simultaneously trying to destabilize.

I agree, Glenn. Defeatism can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. But, learned helplessness is equally real. Increasingly, my political efforts are coming to resemble driving a car where the front wheels no longer respond to the steering mechanism. I am losing my sense of adequacy. As other have noted I've called, written, and e-mailed my Bush-Dog (as per OpenLeft) senator until my fingers are numb. The brain deadening responses I get, make me want to vomit. I am keeping score on this asswipe, and when he is up for election next, I will remember his responses, and I've made it plain to him that I will.

With over a year to go in this presidency I find myself hoping for a rescue, not unlike an abused child wishing some adult could make the horror stop. I fear the damage Bush could yet do, would be greater than he has already done. I come here to find glimmers of hope. Keep writing. I'll keep reading, and trying to influence where I can.

While banging my head elsewhere against why the Republican party continues to advance the wedge issue of being anti-gay, someone pointed to a Newsweek column written by Anna Quindlen. In it she speculates that Giuliani's poll numbers among Republicans might reflect Republicans' willingness to, in her words,

Maybe Republicans are finally ready to be members of a political party again, the kind Barry Goldwater could embrace, one that knows the difference between a podium and a pulpit.

If interested, a link you can copy and paste to that column: http://tinyurl.com/2578ox

When Snow leaves, the public and the press would be equally well served if the position of Press Secretary were left vacant. There'd be a lot less propagand to sift through. An empty space would be an improvment.

beebop-o/GoodCelery, if you hadn't invented yourself, Salon or Glenn Geenwald would have to invent you. Thanks for your comments which must take a fair amount of time to compose.

Sowell is an economist, right? PhD from the University of Chicago - home of the hard core laissez faire folks. Although he feels free to write across multiple disciplines (including child psychology) his expertise is elsewhere. He should stick to economics as his loopy interpretation of the law suggests. I suppose it's rational for Teh Right to get as many scholars as they can to sign on to their inside out - up is down until I need it to be different - strategy. Although we're all capable of pot-kettle blindness, one might have hoped that Sowell might not have been so blinkered. Sadly, no.