Another story concerning Lincoln and Grant involves a Cabinet member disparaging Grant's drinking, and Lincoln responding, "Do you know what brand of whiskey he favors? I'd like to send barrels of it to all my other generals."

Imperfect human beings abound. President Bush would make no claim to perfection. But his priorities are good, and his character is sound, and really, after Bill Clinton and Black Tuesday, what two features could possibly be more important in a Chief of State?

President Bush would make no claim to perfection.

What are you talking about, Francis? Here's a guy who refuses to take responsibility for anything bad that has happened under his watch, who, in fact, can't bring himself to acknowlege that he's even made one mistake. Plus, one gets the distinct impression that he fancies himself to be an instrument* of God, and therefore infallible.

It's bad enough that we have to endure such hagiography from an over-the-hill sci-fi pulpist, but I guess it at least serves to counter some of the more loony ravings coming out of Hollywood. Surely, we're not meant to give any more credence to Card's fantastical charaterization of GWB as have done the job of president as well as anyone in recent years, than we are to Whoopi Goldberg's description of this administration reeking like her feminine features after a long bike ride.

*For myself, I prefer to use, "tool."

Well yeah, you are a tool, at that.

Oh, that's not what you meant? My bad.

He wisely doesn't admit mistakes, because it's like the cop shows, "Anything you say will be used against you."

Instead, he tries something else, and just keeps fighting. I recall that Grant tried 6 or 8 approaches to Vicksburg. They all failed, except the last one.

I can just imagine todays "girlie-men," as our Gov. so notably caled them, back in the Civil War. "Grant never apologizes for his mistakes! 50,000 killed, and he won't even go on Oprah and cry!"