Meet the 'Real Bush'

Behind the Indian Nuclear Deal

Glenn Kessler writes in The Washington Post: "Beyond the invasion of Iraq, few of Bush's decisions have as much potential to shake the international order than his deal with India, supporters and opponents agree. The debate over the deal has pitted against each other two powerful national security goals -- the desire to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and the desire to counter the rise of China, in this case by accelerating New Delhi's ascent as a global power. . . .

"The story behind the agreement also sheds light on how foreign policy is conducted in Bush's second term. For an administration frequently criticized for not being nimble, the India deal highlights the flexibility of Rice's foreign-policy team, which has also shifted policies toward Europe, on Iran and other areas in the past year. It demonstrates how, in contrast to the first term, foreign policy is largely driven by Rice and a close circle of advisers, not the White House staff.

"But the India deal also shows the drawbacks of this approach, critics say. The agreement is in trouble partly because -- in what some critics say is an echo of the Iraq invasion -- there was little consultation with Congress or within the foreign-affairs bureaucracy before it was announced. Last month in New Delhi, Bush and Singh reached agreement on how India will implement the deal. But nuclear specialists in the U.S. government say their concerns about weapons proliferation also were overridden in final talks."

What Intelligence Oversight?

Andrew Zajac writes in the Chicago Tribune: "When a privacy-rights group requested records to show how many times a secretive presidential oversight board had asked the Justice Department to investigate possible violations of intelligence-gathering laws since 2001, the answer that came back last month was as simple as it was startling.

"Zero."

Afraid of the Home Team Crowd?

Frederic J. Frommer writes for the Associated Press: "For most of the last century, when Washington was home to a baseball team known as the Senators, presidents typically took center stage on opening day. . . .

"When the capital got a team (the Washington Nationals of the National League) back last year, President Bush resumed the tradition, taking the pitcher's mound at RFK Stadium.

"This season, the president is throwing the first pitch at the Reds' opener Monday in Cincinnati. The White House has not said whether Bush will do the honors at the Nationals' home opener April 11."

Joe Kay writes for the Associated Press: "A personal connection is bringing him to Cincinnati.

"Local produce magnate Bob Castellini bought control of the Reds last January. Castellini was part of Bush's ownership group with the Texas Rangers, and invited him to attend his first opener as the Reds owner."

Twins in the Running

Shawn Fenner writes in the Richmond Times-Dispatch about two incognito runners in this weekend's Monument Avenue 10K footrace in Richmond.

"President Bush's twin daughters -- Jenna and Barbara, 24, participated in Saturday's seventh annual event. The duo ran under aliases for security reasons. . . .

"The twins, who completed the race in under 55:00, were escorted throughout the race by Secret Service agents."

Here's the list of women finishers , aged 20-24. Can anyone identify their aliases?

Crawford: Ain't What It Used To Be?

Dan Genz writes in the Waco Tribune-Herald: "President Bush calls the 1,600-acre ranch he owns outside Crawford with his wife, Laura, 'our little slice of heaven,' but some experts question whether anti-war demonstrators are making the Western White House a less attractive getaway. . . .

"Waco Police Chief Alberto Melis said Bush has returned noticeably less often since the hurricanes struck last August and September, with fewer visiting dignitaries. He also said he was told Bush is 'not coming' to Crawford for the Easter holiday weekend April 16, when he has annually gathered with his family there."

MSNBC's Bush-Basher

Howard Kurtz writes in The Washington Post: "Night after night, President Bush is being kicked, punched, slapped, poked, stomped and otherwise disrespected in one small corner of the cable television world.

"And Keith Olbermann doesn't deny it has been good for ratings."

MSNBC President Rick Kaplan "says Olbermann is 'incredibly aggressive' toward anyone in power: 'In the same way that people who think the president needs to be supported more have turned to Fox, a lot of people who think the president needs to be taken on more have found a friendly voice in 'Countdown.' "

Roses for Helen Thomas

Albert Eisele write in The Hill: "The roses kept coming - and coming - and coming - to the Hearst Newspapers office in downtown Washington on Thursday, until they filled a large conference room to overflowing.

"By the time the Federal Express delivery was complete, there were 108 dozen roses, nearly 1,300 in every color. They were the result of an e-mail campaign to show support for Hearst columnist Helen Thomas after she grilled President Bush about his Iraq policy at last week's White House news conference. . . .

"Asked about Bush's response to her pointed question about his Iraq policy, she said, 'He could not answer my question. He kept referring to Afghanistan. He never articulated the reasons we're in Iraq. I don't think there's any justification for an unprovoked war against somebody who did nothing against us.' "

There's more on the Democratic Underground Web site.

Cartoon Watch

Doonesbury , Stuart Carlson , Tony Auth , Mike Luckovich , Tony Auth , Ann Telnaes .