A Glimpse of Secret Rove

"'I feel pretty much at home here,' Mr. Bush said. 'In Liberia, you fly the lone star flag.'"

Stephanie McCrummen writes in The Washington Post: "In his tour of Africa, President Bush steered clear of countries where stability, human rights and progress toward democracy have degenerated during his tenure, among them Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, Uganda and Kenya. . . .

"[C]ritics say that several less-than-democratic African leaders have skillfully played the anti-terrorism card to earn a relationship with the United States that has helped keep them in power.

"While Bush has received praise across the continent for his fight against malaria and AIDS, many Africans who hoped that the United States would support their struggle for more just and open societies have been disappointed. They include opposition groups, human rights activists, intellectuals, professionals and, significantly in Kenya and Somalia, moderate Muslims who've felt unjustly targeted in the U.S.-driven hunt for terrorism suspects."

For instance: "In Sudan, analysts have suggested that U.S. reliance on Sudanese counterterrorism intelligence has prevented a tougher stance on the crisis in the country's western Darfur region, where a government crackdown on rebels has left as many as 450,000 people dead and 2.5 million displaced."

Here's Bush reminiscing about the trip on his way home yesterday -- and flaunting his modesty.

"So it's been a -- it's an exciting trip. I mean, you saw the crowds, you saw the enthusiasm.

"But that's not what's important. You know, people say -- Bob Geldof asked me, he said, 'Why don't you take credit for it? Why don't you show what you have done for Africa?' Well, it's not me, for starters; and you don't act out of the desire to enhance your own standing; that's not exactly why one is called into service. It doesn't matter about me. What matters is, are we saving people's lives? That's what matters. And we are."

Speaking of Mercy

Here's Bush riding Ben Feller, the hard-working and under-the-weather Associated Press correspondent:

Bush: "Feller, how you feeling, man? I've asked you twice. You look like you're a little pale."

Q: "I'm hanging in there."

Bush: "Have you vomited yet today? (Laughter.)"