Was Kanye West Right?

Bush has made it quite clear that he has no interest in addressing the one question uppermost on the press's -- and arguably the people's -- mind: How could this have happened on his watch?

And after a long period starting in November during which he held monthly press conferences, Bush hasn't taken more than a few questions at a time from the press corps in almost three and a half months -- since May 31.

But even in his short press availabilities, it would be worth trying to get meaningful answers about his state of mind. Because how he personally feels about the crisis and whether or not he shares the concerns of so many Americans is turning into a key issue. And ducking those sorts of questions is harder.

So here are some questions that might be more fruitful than others:

* Sir, what were your personal feelings when you first grasped the enormity of what had happened along the Gulf Coast? And about when was that?

* Sir, apparently many African Americans believe that the federal government was slow in rescuing people stranded in New Orleans because many of those people were black and poor. I know you've denied that was the case, but do you understand why they might feel that way?

And:

* Sir, you've said countless times that you don't govern based on the polls. But can you explain the polls? You are not a popular president anymore. How do you think that happened?

* Sir, it is increasingly said that you operate in a bubble, sealing yourself away from dissenting voices, and on those rare occasions that people tell you bad news, you yell at them. Doesn't that make it harder for you to make intelligent decisions?

Goodbye, Tax Cuts

Brody Mullins writes in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required): "In a major shift of priorities after Hurricane Katrina, Republican leaders in Congress have delayed plans to extend dividend and capital gains tax cuts and may shelve them for the rest of the year. . . .

"Still, a delay in extending tax cuts, coming at a time when President Bush's popularity has dropped in polls, could introduce new doubts about whether the president's tax cut will outlast his presidency. The White House has considered the early part of the president's second term its most auspicious window for action. Next year, Congress will be enmeshed in midterm election pressures. After that, the president faces the prospect of seeing his influence ebb as a lame duck with the nation looking toward the election of his successor in 2008."

Hello Czar?

Michael Forsythe writes for Bloomberg: "President George W. Bush, seeking to restore public confidence in his ability to handle a crisis, may appoint a high-profile 'czar' to oversee the Gulf Coast recovery.