End of a Rubber Stamp Era?

The Latest Bush Trip

Michael A. Fletcher writes in The Washington Post: "President Bush returned to the storm-battered Gulf Coast on Tuesday, telling local leaders that amid the rampant devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina there are promising signs of recovery."

Here is the text of Bush's brief public comments in Louisiana.

First Lady Watch

Jennifer Loven writes for the Associated Press: "Laura Bush, former inner-city teacher, says Hurricane Katrina could have a silver lining if it forces the nation to respond 'in a different way' to difficult poverty and racial problems.

" 'A large percentage of our population probably doesn't realize what inner cities are really like and has looked away from that,' Bush told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday. . . .

"With her popularity in polls twice that of her husband's, which is stuck at a record-low level, Mrs. Bush often plays the president's chief defender and puts a smiling, trusted face on administration policies. . . .

"The first lady repeated her desire to see her husband nominate a woman to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, whose retirement will leave Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the Supreme Court's sole female, and said 'there are qualified women that are in the pool' of potential nominees being considered."

Today's Calendar

Bush speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition's anniversary lunch today, which is celebrating the accomplishments of Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman.

Bush then holds a photo-op before a meeting with his Commission to Strengthen Social Security. That may feel more like a wake.

Finally Bush meets with the speaker of Iraq's parliament.

President Shuts Down Runway

Remember all the fuss when President Clinton's haircut aboard Air Force One reportedly shut down two runways at LAX for about an hour?

Well, Matthew L. Wald writes in the New York Times that the longest runway at the Las Cruces, N.M., airport "has been closed since President Bush made a campaign stop in August 2004."

That's more than a year.