Still phoning it in

Every time that Bush wants to energize the base by supporting an anti-choice group, have you ever noticed how he never shows up in person, but rather phones in his message? I find it strange that the hypnochrist crowd hasn't started getting upset over that by now. I mean, clearly, Rove doesn't want any photos of Bush showing up addressing an anti-choice gathering... too iconic I suppose. Well, he did it again this week.

President Bush told abortion opponents Monday that they are pursuing "a noble cause" and making a real difference in the campaign to recruit more Americans to stand on their side.

"We're working to persuade more of our fellow Americans of the rightness of our cause," the president told abortion foes gathered at the foot of Capitol Hill on a chilly, rainy day. He spoke by telephone from Manhattan, Kansas, where he was to give a speech.

Bush isn't running for any more elections. He doesn't need to hide. Is he really so weak in his convictions that he has to hide behind a phone line? And notice where he's calling from. Kansas. When you need to go public and appeal to the flat-Earth crowd, I suppose Kansas is one of the last places left where you can still do it.

What the hell is wrong with Kansas, anways? We've been asking for years and the answers just seem to get more and more frightening.