Iraqi Mandelas must be rolling over in their graves over Bush's press conference yesterday.

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening JL Readers! TGIF! To recap yesterday's Masterpiece Theatre of the Clown series, here from Washington Post:

Yesterday's news conference was just minutes old when President Bush made a startling announcement.

"Mandela's dead," he said.

There was a gasp in the White House briefing room at this news, which would no doubt surprise the 89-year-old Nelson Mandela himself.

Fortunately, the president quickly clarified that he was not speaking of the sainted South African but of his equivalents in Iraq. "Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas," he explained.
Mass exhalation.

It was about as close as Bush comes these days to making big news. Wrapping up his seventh year in office and unable to rise from his ratings slump, the president has run low on major announcements.

Is a recession looming?

"I think I got a B in Econ 101."

His thoughts on Israel's bombing of Syria?

"I'm not going to comment on the matter."

How about the racial conflagration in Jena, La.?

"There's litigation taking place."

Ken Herman of Cox News tried to draw out the news-shy president. "For Republicans seeking election next year, are you an asset or a liability?"

"Strong asset," was Bush's full reply.

"Can I follow?"

"No."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/20/AR2007092002290.html