It seems that I am way too late to be on Tim Russert's staff as Brad, Matthew Yglesias, Joe Conason and ABCs the Note have applied for the job. Also much too pleased with the sound of my own voice (keyboard clicking ???) to be damaging.

I am going to try the hard part. I will pretend to be Bush and try to answer the questions without lying (much), admitting what I disaster the Bush administration is or making a fool of myself. My answers to Brad's questions in his comments.

Boy am I glad that Matthew Yglesias is not interviewing me on TV. The idea of checking if Bush knows one tenth as much as Yglesias about what is happening in the Bush administration is wicked. If he cared, Matt could figure out what to do to me to make me unelectable to anything (this is a very minor challenge and I know how to do it but I won't tell).

Mike to Matt

Mr. President, could you describe for our viewers what kind of work William Luti does for your administration."

Robert Bush) Thank you for giving me a chance to tell the American people what a great job William Luti is doing advising Doug Feith on emerging military threats and innovative approaches to increasing our readiness.

Follow up. Hey wasn't he stovepiping (sorry I'm not Matt).

Robert Bush) Well of course when considering possible future threats one has to look at intelligence information.

(Robert Bush will refuse to admit that the office of special plans was set up to bypass the CIA. There is nothing wrong with people in the pentagon talking about what might be happening in the world and if people from the OVP happen by well hey it's all between consenting adults)


"why doesn't your budget include a permanent reform of the Alternative Minimum Tax?"

(Robert Bush major wince that one is tough). I do think that we will have to address the issue of the AMT but I don't think that we will do it this year. Remember it is a 2005 budget. A whole lot of attention seems to be focused on the forecasts as opposed to the actually budget proposals. I think we are going to have to see how strong a majority the Republicans have in the house and Senate before we can begin to decide how much relief from the AMT we can provide to the tens of millions of middle class Americans who risk paying a tax designed long ago to catch super rich tax evaders)


"If temporary tax cuts are a bad idea today, why were they a good idea when you proposed them in 2001?"

Robert Bush) Well remember in 2001 we only had 50 Republican Senators.
In the Senate it is very easy for the minority to block change so it is even easier for a party with 50 Senators to keep things how they were. We had to compromise. We always thought that permanent tax cuts were better than temporary tax cuts, but decided to support the best bill that could pass rather than seeking confrontation.



"How would you characterize your administration's policy toward Uzbekistan?"

Robert Bush) We are working with the government of Uzbekistan in our common effort to fight our common enemy terrorism (in both cases Islamic terrorism). Uzbekistan was very helpful during the war with Afganistan. Of course we strongly support human rights in Uzbekistan.


"Why did your administration reject the compromise resolution put forward by Chile in the United Nations Security Council?"

I would like to personally thank president Lagos for his patient effort to build a unified position for the security council. However, at the time, we really felt that it was time to make a final decision to invade. Saddam Hussein had been dodging and delaying for 12 years hinting at a concession whenever the world came close to action. The UN security council had already given him one last chance with 1441. We worked very hard to reach agreement in the Security Council but there is a point when people have to realise that they have honest sincere fundamental disagreements and will not be able to reach consensus. We felt that the Security council had reached that point. Now that Saddam Hussein has been removed I am delighted to say that the Security Council is working together very well again.


"Do you agree with the position on gay rights put forward by Vice President Cheney in his 2000 debate with Joe Lieberman?"

I think gay Americans have a right to dignity and respect. I also think the traditional definition of marriage should be mantained.

[by the way I am sure Bush knows that Cheney supports gay rights and knows why].


So how did Robert Bush handle Matthew Yglesias ? send votes to rjw88@hotmail.com