[Owen]

Cherie Blair is a wife. She has opinions. She feels strongly about them. She's given her husband children. She has not uncorked some devastating divorce to destroy his career. She makes more money than he does, and always has, but she still chooses to remain subordinate and largely subdued. She has moods like all humans and speaks up on occasion.

Tony is as smart as they come. He keeps her around. Tony doesn't do too many stupid things so keeping her around must be smart. Besides which, it's good to have counselors who are not Yes people.

Barbara Bush was less conservative than her husband on abortion too. Again, it's good to have counselors around who are not Yes people.

Largely, this is why it is good to have Colin Powell around. If you have only Cheney and Rumsfeld as counsel, you can spiral to extremes that are unwise. That *can* happen. Powell has served the president well, of late while very sick.

[NutCrackerBoy]

Largely, this is why it is good to have Colin Powell around. If you have only Cheney and Rumsfeld as counsel, you can spiral to extremes that are unwise. That *can* happen. Powell has served the president well, of late while very sick.

I love Colin Powell and think him a skilled diplomat. But, as Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe commented right from the beginning of W's first term, he is not confrontational enough to be our Secretary of State.