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...."... I think it's important for me and for you to look for the depth of a person's soul and character. I was touched by the fact your mother gave you the cross.' " Bush publicly testified of Putin, "I was able to get a sense of his soul." ...Bush is even apt to apply this particular brand of illogic to his own character. In one of the 2000 presidential debates, Al Gore pointed out that Bush as governor of Texas opposed a measure to expand children's healthcare and instead used the money for a tax cut. The debate moderator...

<p>Earlier this month, when President Bush met with Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III to interview him for a potential Supreme Court nomination, the conversation turned to exercise. When asked by the president of the United States how often he exercised, Wilkinson impressively responded that he runs 3 1/2 miles a day. Bush urged him to adopt more cross-training. "He warned me of impending doom," Wilkinson told The New York Times.</p>

<p>Earlier this month, when President Bush met with Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III to interview him for a potential Supreme Court nomination, the conversation turned to exercise. When asked by the president of the United States how often he exercised, Wilkinson impressively responded that he runs 3 1/2 miles a day. Bush urged him to adopt more cross-training. "He warned me of impending doom," Wilkinson told The New York Times. Am I the only person who finds this disturbing? I don't mean the fact that Bush would vet his selection for the highest court in the land in part on something utterly trivial. That's expected. What I mean is the fact that Bush has an obsession with exercise that borders on the creepy.</p>

It’s always shocking when the Left unmasks itself—it’s usually very brief but when it happens not only can’t you turn away, it’s actually important that you don’t. While it would seem impossible, the Left has found a new low, this time courtesy of both the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. On the same day, both newspapers published bizarre attacks on the most basic values of personal appearance and physical health of the president and those he supports. It’s the newest indication of how frustrated and frenzied the Left has grown in the face of an America that refuses...

A week ago, when President Bush met with Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III to interview him for a potential Supreme Court nomination, the conversation turned to exercise. When asked by the president of the United States how often he exercised, Wilkinson impressively responded that he runs 3 1/2 miles a day. Bush urged him to adopt more cross-training. "He warned me of impending doom," Wilkinson told the New York Times. Am I the only person who finds this disturbing? I don't mean the fact that Bush would vet his selection for the highest court in the land in part on...

It's always shocking when the left unmasks itself — it's usually very brief but when it happens not only can't you turn away, it's actually important that you don't. While it would seem impossible, the left has found a new low, this time courtesy of both the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. On the same day, both newspapers published bizarre attacks on the most basic values of personal appearance and physical health of the president and those he supports. It's the newest indication of how frustrated and frenzied the left has grown in the face of an America...

Earlier this month, when President Bush met with Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III to interview him for a potential Supreme Court nomination, the conversation turned to exercise. When asked by the president of the United States how often he exercised, Wilkinson impressively responded that he runs 3½ miles a day. Bush urged him to adopt more cross-training. "He warned me of impending doom," Wilkinson told the New York Times. << snip >> What I mean is the fact that Bush has an obsession with exercise that borders on the creepy. Given the importance of his job, it is astonishing how...

The (over)exercise of power A week ago, when President Bush met with Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III to interview him for a potential Supreme Court nomination, the conversation turned to exercise. When asked by the president of the United States how often he exercised, Wilkinson impressively responded that he runs 3 1/2 miles a day. Bush urged him to adopt more cross-training. "He warned me of impending doom," Wilkinson told the New York Times. Am I the only person who finds this disturbing? I don't mean the fact that Bush would vet his selection for the highest court in the...

As Ralph Nader prepares for another spoiler run at the presidency, liberals are again wringing their hands at the damage he may do not only to Democrats' chances of retaking the White House but to his own reputation as well. "The most regrettable thing about Mr. Nader's new candidacy is not how it is likely to affect the election, but how it will affect Mr. Nader's own legacy," editorialized The New York Times this week. "Ralph Nader has been one of the giants of the American reform movement. ... [I]t would be a tragedy if Mr. Nader allowed [his anger]...

The message of the night is that John Kerry has proven his electability and all-around national appeal by winning two Southern primaries. I'm not buying it.

hate President George W. Bush. There, I said it. I think his policies rank him among the worst presidents in U.S. history. And, while I'm tempted to leave it at that, the truth is that I hate him for less substantive reasons, too. I hate the inequitable way he has come to his economic and political achievements and his utter lack of humility (disguised behind transparently false modesty) at having done so. His favorite answer to the question of nepotism--"I inherited half my father's friends and all his enemies"--conveys the laughable implication that his birth bestowed more disadvantage than...

My work here is done. I've loved writing the Diary of a Dean-o-phobe, but it's no longer necessary. Not that anybody is going to plead with me to continue, but I thought I'd give my reasons for stopping. First, obviously, Dean is finished as a potential nominee. He's blown all his money, his campaign is in disarray, and he's turned to an inside-the-Beltway Democrat to run his campaign. Dean may well play a potent spoiler role, but it's almost impossible to see him winning. Even if he somehow pulls out a majority of delegates and goes to a brokered nomination,...

Will the political media finally start holding Howard Dean to the same standard as other candidates? Sure, some reporters have questioned whether Howard Dean would hold up against George W. Bush. But on the basic question of credibility--a topic on which they have skewered candidates like John Kerry and Wesley Clark for a couple muddled statements--reporters have given Dean a pass. Perhaps today's Washington Post story signals a change. If you haven't read this story yet, do so immediately. [PAUSE FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T YET READ THE POST STORY] As good and overdue as this article is, what's so amazing...

I feel Jonathan Chait's pain. Oh, not the flesh-searing agony he clearly feels every time he reads the Wall Street Journal op-ed page. I sometimes wonder whether the poor New Republic scribe has a "pain chip" in his head that goes off every time he hears the words "supply side" or "a rising tide lifts all boats" (think of Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer or maybe the pain collars from "The Gamesters Of Triskelion" episode of Star Trek). No, the reason Chait's in pain is that he's been pegged with the label of irrational Bush hater. David Brooks told...

One day in January 1996, I sat in Steve Glass's apartment following the returns to the New Hampshire primary with him and one or two other colleagues of ours at The New Republic. We were watching a C-SPAN call-in show, and Glass began speculating about how callers can get on the air. Glass picked up the phone and called the number, and said he lived in Manchester. His status as an apparent bonafide New Hampshirite thrust him to the front of the line--within seconds he was talking to the host. His immediate success flustered him. Asked whom he had voted...