Remedial

Three and a half years ago when I read a headline like, "Bush making "good progress" on new Iraq plan", I felt that impending sense of doom, that the bastard was going to launch the war like rolling America's dice at Caesar's Palace and no one in America was going to stop him.

Today when I read "Bush making "good progress" on new Iraq plan" I wonder how remedial our Presidente really must be, and why should anyone expect him to make any of the right decisions once he's finished Decidering.

All through the day, different news services trying to brush up the loxy headline:

Bush taking more time to craft Iraq plan
Bush hails Iraq plan progress
Bush closing in on new Iraq strategy

and the classic

Bush to convene top aides ahead of decision on Iraq

All with this same poorly stage-managed build-up, as if the world is suddenly to believe that El Presidente is suddenly a deliberative man. Prone to good sense, and care for the welfare of anything other than his reputation as "the guy who lost a war".

Escalate it long enough (two years) and you can pin it on the next election winner.

If you want to see the pathos written on the faces of the losers, here's Dick, Bob, George, Condi, and Peter at the Crawford ranch.

Dick has lost his swagger, maybe it didn't help hearing his ex-boss thought he made a huge error going into Iraq.

Bob Gates, new in replacing Donny Rumsfeld, is the faceless messenger from on high. By the photo he appears to be in league with General Peter Pace, matching blazers while all the other outfits clash, new for an Admin press briefing. Pace who has had moments of candor leak out in press conferences. Here he looks like the haunted gunslinger.

Then there's Condiloser Rice. Her trademark glower appears turned inward. She's smart enough to know all is lost. It couldn't help to have analyses like this going out on the wire, but then I'm one of those folks who thinks she never paid the price for 9/11 happening on her watch as National Security Advisor. Her watch.

And what to say about Dumbya. His medicine show goes on, a profile chiseled in duty. Still confidently dragging all of them down.

Most telling is this side shot of their arrival. Dick leads George, up ahead, with a pace and a half separating them from Condi, back with the realists.

Even Crawford isn't safe. Cindy arrested again. Back on Bush's doorstep.

The only good news is Bush's bloodthirst gets quenched within forty-eight hours. Will that be enough for him to declare "Exit with Victory" (or should I say, "Peace with Honor"?"

Was Gerald Ford's death an omen, a harbinger of El Presidente's future?