At the Gridiron, Pols and Press Share A Little Sizzle and a Lot of Cheese

Note: New members of the Gridiron pay their dues. The horse's front legs belonged to inductee Jane Norman; the horse's behind went to newbie Robin Sproul.

Three other journalists made their Gridiron debuts this year: John King, Tom Toles and Todd Purdum.

Since the Gridiron's motto is "singe but never burn," the show's humor is mostly gentle, a little corny. It's a teensy bit like a well-funded talent show at creaky summer camp.

The Republican skit had a Texan theme, to honor the heritage of Bush and Leubsdorf. Cowboy boots and hats abounded in the chorus.

The highlight? "Sheiks Peddlin' Oil," an ensemble ode to skyrocketing gas prices. It even one-upped the Dems' steed, with a bejeweled two-person camel (Guess who was in that sweltering suit? Yep: new guys Toles and Purdum).

A gun-slinging Ann Coulter impersonator threatened to take her conservative boots walking unless McCain got a little more right-thinking: "A foot soldier in Ronald Reagan's Army? Hah!"

The show wrapped up with the full cast belting out a farewell to the tune of "The Yellow Rose of Texas."

But Bush had the last word; make that song. With a gang of Busharoos, he crooned about his future back in Texas, singing: "I spend my days clearing brush, clear my head of all the fuss, like that big fuss you made over Harriet and Brownie. Down the lane I look and here comes Scooter, finally free of the prosecutor. It's good to touch the brown, brown grass of home." He even paid the news media a compliment: "When you are not writing stories, you are not half bad."

Staff writer Roxanne Roberts contributed to this report.