Read it and weep

The Washington Post has published the transcript of an interview with President Bush on-board Air Force One on Friday. It is truly pathetic. Two intelligent, well-informed reporters are asking questions of a man who clearly knows little about the issues and remembers less. He alternates between long, meandering nonsense answers, and short, absurd utterances. If I had a junior manager reporting to me who gave such ridiculous answers, I'd fire him. How can he be President for four more years?

Some choice moments:

The Post: In Iraq, there's been a steady stream of surprises. We weren't welcomed as liberators, as Vice President Cheney had talked about. We haven't found the weapons of mass destruction as predicted. The postwar process hasn't gone as well as some had hoped. Why hasn't anyone been held accountable, either through firings or demotions, for what some people see as mistakes or misjudgments?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, we had an accountability moment, and that's called the 2004 election. And the American people listened to different assessments made about what was taking place in Iraq, and they looked at the two candidates, and chose me, for which I'm grateful.

An "accountability moment?"

The Post: There [are] signs of a manpower squeeze in the regular Army. The National Guard and Reserves have been pressed to their limit. Do you plan to ask Congress to authorize additional National Guard or regular Army units?

THE PRESIDENT: No, what we're going to do is we're going to make sure that the missions of the National Guard and the Reserve closely dovetail with active Army units, so that the pressure that you're speaking about is eased.

Because closely dovetailing units will obviate the need for stop-loss orders, or multiple deployments to Iraq, or Guardsman being required to deploy for years, not weekends? Like the Army and the Guard/Reserve units have been wandering around uncoordinated for the last year-and-a-half? But wait, there's more:

The Post: Why do you think [Osama] bin Laden has not been caught?

THE PRESIDENT: Because he's hiding.

Hiding? HIDING? I can't imagine how the reporters managed to keep a straight face at this point, but the transcript doesn't mention "(laughters of ridicule)". Later in the conversation:

THE PRESIDENT: ... I also believe that some of the decisions I've made up to now have affected our standing in parts of the world. I remember in the debates, somebody asked me about Europe. And I said, well, they wanted us to join the International Criminal Court, and I chose -- I said, that's not the right posture for the United States of America, or some saying I should have negotiated with [Yasser] Arafat for the four years I was president -- obviously, prior to his death -- and I chose not to because I didn't feel like he was a person who could deliver peace.

I called Abu Amas the other day, and I told him I'm looking forward to seeing him again and working with him -- or Abu Mazen. So I believe that when it's all said and done, those in the Muslim world who long for peace will see that the policies of this government will lead to peace.

Well, it's good to see that he realizes that no one was suggesting he negotiate with Arafat after he was dead. But it's so hard to keep those Abu's straight. Abu Ammas was Arafat. Mahmoud Abbas, as he finally remembers, is Abu Mazen. You'd think a guy who makes up nicknames for everyone he meets could handle this better. Maybe he was tired. Besides, I thought our government had decided to officially call him only Mahmoud Abbas, but who really cares?

All right, how about some domestic questions:

The Post: Only two-thirds of the beneficiaries of Social Security, as you know, are retired people. The rest are disabled and people collecting survivor's benefits. Do you think that the rising costs of disability and survivor's insurance is causing the overall Social Security problem, and can you promise that the benefits will not be touched under your reform plan?

THE PRESIDENT: We will look at all aspects of Social Security, of course, but the main focus I have been on, focusing on -- the main issue I have been focusing on is the retirement system aspect of Social Security, because it is a pay-as-you-go system. The number of payers is declining quite rapidly relative to the number of retirees. And that, thus far, has been our focus, because that is the part where the Congress needs to focus.

And to answer the disability insurance, we have no plans of cutting benefits at all for people with disabilities.

The Post: So they'll definitely remain untouched?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, as I said, we have no plans for cutting benefits.

The Post: Is that just for disability, or for survivors, as well?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, we're --

The Post: It's a different benefit for --

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, you're right. Frankly, our discussions in terms of reform have not centered on the survivor/disability aspect of Social Security. We're talking about the retirement system of Social Security. I think that's an accurate statement.

MR. McCLELLAN [Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary]: You're talking about at or near retirees, right?

Scottie jumps in here, obviously worried George is going to say something stupid Scott will have to cover over in a later press conference...

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, they're talking about survivor and disability benefits, and we have had no discussions of that, thus far.

Well, actually, No. That's the point. Survivor and disability benefits are completely different from at-or-near retirees.

The best way to put it -- the answer is, we have no discussions of that, so far, in terms of changing them, I think is the best way to describe it.

Fully a third of those getting benefits, and you haven't even discussed them yet? Not even to figure out how you're going to be able to avoid changing their benefits when you monkey with the rest of the system? Really. Hmm. OK. Well, how's that bipartisan effort to build support for your reforms going?

The Post: Will you talk to Senate Democrats about your privatization plan?

THE PRESIDENT: You mean, the personal savings accounts?

The Post: Yes, exactly. Scott has been --

THE PRESIDENT: We don't want to be editorializing, at least in the questions.

See, they've decided that calling it "privatization" doesn't test well, and they've now adopted "personal savings" as their 'branding' for this. Sadly, they only decided this after they'd started talking about it, and there's a pesky historical record...

The Post: You used partial privatization yourself last year, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes?

The Post: Yes, three times in one sentence. We had to figure this out, because we're in an argument with the RNC [Republican National Committee] about how we should actually word this. [Post staff writer] Mike Allen, the industrious Mike Allen, found it.

THE PRESIDENT: Allen did what now?

The Post: You used partial privatization.

THE PRESIDENT: I did, personally?

The Post: Right.

THE PRESIDENT: When?

The Post: To describe it.

THE PRESIDENT: When, when was it?

The Post: Mike said it was right around the election.

THE PRESIDENT: Seriously?

The Post: It was right around the election. We'll send it over.

THE PRESIDENT: I'm surprised. Maybe I did. It's amazing what happens when you're tired. Anyway, your question was? I'm sorry for interrupting.

The Post: So have you talked to Senate Democrats about this?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I have talked to Senate Democrats, and I will continue to talk to Senate Democrats. And I'll continue --

The Post: Did you --

THE PRESIDENT: We had a meeting with -- I think before Christmas we had the leadership in, didn't we?

MS. DEVENISH [Nicolle Devenish, the White House communications director]: That was Republicans.

MR. McCLELLAN: For Social Security?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

MR. McCLELLAN: The bipartisan meeting at the end of last year, toward the end of last year.

THE PRESIDENT: And before we went on the Christmas break?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: It was right after, I think Harry --[Senate Minority Leader] Harry Reid was there, I know for certain. I'm trying to remember -- I can't remember all who were there. But, yes, I have, and will continue to do so, and continue to speak to the people.

I give up. This is just too sad.