BUSH ON THE ROAD-- MAKING NO FRIENDS AND INFLUENCING NO ONE AT ALL

Digby just turned me on to a precursor for the Bush/Putin 2009 stand-up comedy tour.

"I talked about my desire to promote institutional change in parts of the world, like Iraq where there's a free press and free religion, and I told him that a lot of people in our country would hope that Russia would do the same," Bush said.

To that, Putin replied, "We certainly would not want to have the same kind of democracy that they have in Iraq, quite honestly."

As bizarre as the points about a "free press" and "free religion" (whatever that is) Bush tried to get across for the Iraqi puppet regime model democracy are, he seems to have had the decency to not mention forgotten to mention the enhanced role of women in Iraq since he took over and devastated the country. Ruth Rosen, on the other hand, has the whole story of what has been happening to Iraqi women since Iraq became a "Bush democracy." But Bush can't be bothered with that. First the Commander-in-Chief needs to figure out what's happening to American women in Iraq-- and why they are treated "lower than dirt"-- and face rape, abuse and sexual harassment-- from their own comrades-in-arms.

Heckuva job, Bushie.

Oh, about the picture-- that was Bush in Germany. The original caption mused that the poor kid must have been a little Democrat. I'd say he was just a member of humanity meeting the anti-Christ.