A Sudden Concern About the Economy

Said Bush: "[M]y challenge is to remind the American people that while they're paying attention to these primaries there is a President actively engaged solving problems.

"And we had a very successful end of last year because I was able to work with [Republican congressional leaders] Mitch McConnell and John Boehner and Roy Blunt and Trent Lott. We sustained some early vetoes, and then the White House and the members of the minority in the Congress became relevant, to the point where we helped shape the agenda. And I intend to do the same thing this year."

But Financial Times columnist Jurek Martin weaves an alternate narrative: "Everybody's thoughts may be on Iowa, so maybe it is appropriate to spare one for George W. Bush, entering the last year of his presidency. In so doing, there is no reason to be charitable. . . .

"With the obvious caveat that any president has the unilateral power to declare war or peace, I take the view that Number 43 will be the forgotten man of 2008, still there in his White House bubble but incapable or unwilling to exert much influence on the affairs of his nation or the world. . . .

"I think he is what he has always been -- limited and incurious, happier in what he does not know than in what he should. I doubt he will even miss the White House. Much of America will not miss him not being there, either."

Torture Tape Watch

Tabassum Zakaria writes for Reuters that "Bush said on Thursday he strongly supports a Justice Department investigation into the destruction of CIA videotapes depicting the harsh interrogation of terrorism suspects.

"The White House would cooperate, he said.

"'I strongly support it. And we will participate,' Bush said in a Reuters interview.

"It was his first public comment since the Justice Department said on Wednesday it had launched a criminal investigation into the CIA's destruction of the tapes.

"Asked whether he had any concerns the probe might raise questions about his counterterrorism policy, Bush replied: 'See what it says. See what the investigation leads to.'"

But that's the entirety of what Bush had to say on the matter yesterday. And, according to the transcript, Reuters didn't press him.

That's a shame because, as I wrote in yesterday's column, it appears likely that Vice President Cheney and top aide David S. Addington were involved in the CIA's decision-making process.