Et Tu, Wall Street Journal?

"It was a relief to see President Bush take some meaningful action in response to Russia's aggression against Georgia on Wednesday -- something beyond looking sternly into Vladimir Putin's soul between beach volleyball serves in Beijing," wrote Andrew C. McCarthy of the National Review.

Oh, No -- Not the Small Jet Again

When the State Department scrambled to put together Condoleezza Rice's trip last Wednesday to Georgia's capital of Tbilisi, officials quickly realized they had a problem -- and his name was Vice President Cheney.

That same day, Cheney was flying on Air Force Two on a fundraising trip to Colorado and California. The plane is one of three C-32s -- a military version of the Boeing 757-200 -- shared by the vice president and the secretary of state, officials said.

But one of the remaining jets was in for maintenance, and the last is always kept as an emergency backup for Air Force One, officials said. That meant Rice had to settle for a smaller Air Force C-40, with limits on staff, security and media. That did not go over well with reporters, who wanted to accompany Rice and questioned why she was not afforded a bigger plane for such an important journey.

Lea Anne McBride, a Cheney spokeswoman, said the vice president's office has no role in assigning the use of airplanes.

Quote of the Week

NBC's Ann Curry: "You are very different from the first lady you began as. You were much quieter then."

First Lady Laura Bush: "Well, I know more now, actually . . . I also realized over -- it took me a long time, I have to admit it -- over the eight years that I do have a podium because my husband is president."