The Opposite of a Victory Lap

Bush: "Well, we're constantly looking at options, of course. . . ."

Q: "But you're confident that their safety is not going to be touched?"

Bush: "I hope so. I'm not confident. . . . "

Q: "You wanted to meet with Prime Minister Siniora in Sharm el Sheikh, but he's under siege. How he's going to get out of Lebanon?"

Bush: "I don't know, we'll see. I'd like to meet him. And we'll just have to deal with that when I get over there."

And here's an instant classic:

Q: "Sir, a former Israeli army -- (inaudible) -- said that it's better if Hezbollah is in control of Lebanon. It will make it easier for Israel to attack. Do you agree with this man?"

Bush: "I'm a peace man. I think -- I don't know who this guy is and I haven't read about it, but I will tell you that I would much rather have the Siniora government succeed and survive, and that there be peaceful -- a peaceful process. I think we ought to all work to prevent the necessity for armed conflict in order to solve problems."

Iran Watch

So who is to blame for all that's gone wrong? For Bush, the answer is clear: Iran.

AFP reports: "Bush on Monday called Iran the 'single biggest threat' to peace in the Middle East ahead of a visit to the region centered on celebrations of Israel's 60th anniversary.

"'To me it's the single biggest threat to peace in the Middle East, the Iranian regime,' because of its nuclear programme and its support of groups like the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, Bush told Israel's Channel 10."

In this video excerpt, Bush starts off as if speaking directly -- and provocatively -- to the Iranian leaders: "Your desire to have a nuclear weapon, coupled with your statements about the destruction of our close ally, has made it abundantly clear to everybody that we have got to work together to stop you from having a nuclear weapon."

I've found that it's sometimes worth ignoring whatever Bush says before the word "but." And applying that rule to what he said next makes it seem that he's seriously considering military action against Iran: "Stopping then enriching [uranium], the first choice is to do it diplomatically, of course. And that's why we're working on the sanction regime, and that's why we're trying to affect their money flows. But it's hard, because not everyone shares the same anxiety as Israel and the United States does. And, uh, but it's a tough issue and I fully understand it and I will continue to pressure as best I can."

Mark Silva blogs for Tribune: "With all his repeated talk of keeping military options 'on the table' when it comes to Iran, President Bush has fueled speculation in the region - and around the world - that the United States is gearing up for an assault inside Iran.

"'There's a real search for the underlying logic of it all,'' says Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. 'And the underlying logic has been that people think that we are taking steps to wage war against Iran. You can see the Admiral Fallon resignation and a whole range of other things.

"'So the U.S. has actually been trying to do a number of things over the last several years to reassure the Iranians in particular that we're not about to go off the deep end and there's something to work with,' he says. 'But the perception in the Gulf is that Vice President Cheney has a plan, the president has a plan, that it's all - you just have to watch Fox News enough and you'll understand it all.'"

Cheney's Reading Matter

William Douglas of McClatchy Newspapers calls attention to Cheney's latest choice of reading material. As the vice president left Andrews Air Force Base on Thursday for Philadelphia, he "had a thick hardcover book tucked under his arm as he got off Air Force Two at Willow Grove Naval Air Station. Aides said the book was 'Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45,' by the British historian Max Hastings. . . .

"The book's main premise, according to reviews, is that the United States was justified in dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

Bush, the Saudis and the Price of Gas

The Associated Press reports: "President Bush said Monday that when he meets Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah later this week, he'll bring up the effect that high oil prices are having on the U.S. and global economies.

"'Of course I'll bring it up to him,' Bush said in a CBS News radio interview. However, he added that the capacity of the Saudis to raise production -- and thus help lower prices -- is limited.

"'When you analyze the capacity for countries to put oil on the market it's just not like it used to be,' Bush said. 'The demand for oil is so high relative to supply these days that there's just not a lot of excess capacity.'

"However, Saudi Arabia has considerable additional production capacity. It's pumping a little over 8.5 million barrels a day, compared with about 9.5 million barrels a day two years ago, and has acknowledged the ability to produce as much as 11 million barrels a day. . . .

"Bush also said that, while he was a 'big supporter' of energy conservation, he would not issue a specific appeal to the public to ease up on driving and not use as much fuel. 'I think they can figure out how to do that,' he told CBS. 'I mean, the market has a way of convincing people to drive less, depending on their ability to afford.'"

Here's audio of the interview with CBS Radio's Peter Maer and Mark Knoller. Here's Bush on the price of gas: "It's just high. It's very high. And, you know, it's just too darn bad because this economy was doing fine, and then we had the housing issue, and then this gasoline issue is making it harder for the economy to recover. It's growing--don't get me wrong, it's positive, but it could be a lot better with lower gasoline prices."

Bush, McCain and the Polls

Jon Cohen and Dan Balz write in The Washington Post: "Americans are gloomier about the direction of the country than they have been at any point in 15 years, and Democrats hold their biggest advantage since early 1993 as the party better able to deal with the nation's main problems, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. . . .

"Sen. John McCain, the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee . . . continues to elude some of the anger aimed at his party and at President Bush, whose approval ratings dipped to an all-time low in Post-ABC polling. Maintaining a separate identity will be a key to McCain's chances of winning the White House in November. Overall, Democrats hold a 21-percentage-point advantage over Republicans as the party better equipped to handle the nation's problems. . . .

"Bush's approval has slipped to 31 percent, and has been lower than 50 percent for 38 consecutive months."

Gary Langer writes for ABC News: "Beyond the president's overall rating, intensity of sentiment is heavily against Bush. Fifty-two percent of Americans not only disapprove of his work but do so strongly, matching the high in ABC News/Washington Post polls set in July. Just 15 percent strongly approve.

"These views remain highly partisan: Sixty-nine percent of Republicans approve of Bush's job performance, while just 9 percent of Democrats agree. His ratings, on average, have been more partisan than any president's since ABC and the Post began polling in 1981.

"The swing group, as usual, is the third of Americans who define themselves as independents. Just 24 percent approve of the president's work, a career low.

"Republicans, while still behind the president, are less emphatically so: Just 39 percent strongly approve of his performance, while 56 percent of independents and 78 percent of Democrats strongly disapprove."

Gallup last week reported: "At a time when George W. Bush's job approval rating has fallen to 28%, just 6 in 10 Republicans approve of the job he is doing, the lowest of his administration."

Gallup further reports today that Bush may do more damage to McCain's chances of being elected than Rev. Jeremiah Wright does to Barack Obama's.

Wedding Watch

Yes, Jenna got married on Saturday.

Shelby Hodge writes for the Houston Chronicle: "It was a night of presidential mood swings Saturday when first daughter Jenna Bush wed Henry Hager.

"Walking Jenna down the aisle at the ranch in Crawford, President George Bush displayed the famous family emotions -- his tears visible as the two approached the limestone cross where the ceremony was held.

"Before the night was out, the president was on stage briefly whooping it up with Super T and his 10-piece show band from Nashville, Tenn."

Ronald Kessler writes for Newsmax: "Toasting his daughter Jenna Bush and Henry Hager after their wedding at his Crawford ranch Saturday night, President Bush began by confessing, 'I am an emotional wreck.'"

KHOU-TV in Houston scored an interview with Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell, who performed the 35-minute ceremony. Caldwell said the president "was compassionate and emotional. Yeah, he cried. A couple of times."

Deb Riechmann writes for the Associated Press: "President Bush spent months joking about being a father of the bride, but on Sunday he was downright wistful about giving his daughter Jenna away to her longtime beau.

"'Our little girl, Jenna, married a really good guy, Henry Hager,' Bush said, standing next Mrs. Bush at an airport in Waco where he boarded Air Force One for his flight back to Washington. 'The wedding was spectacular. It's just -- it's all we could have hoped for.'"

More stories can be found here. And here are the official photos.

Live Online

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Late Night Humor

Via U.S. News:

David Letterman: "Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. That's very nice of you. . . . Really, that makes up for not being invited to Jenna's wedding. . . . At the reception, President Bush danced with his lovely daughter. It's the first time he has led in eight years. . . .

"Bush danced with all the guests. And then Cheney shot the cake."

John Oliver explains to Jon Stewart that sometimes a wedding is just a wedding, not a commentary on politics and how the White House has handled the war.

Cartoon Watch

Joel Pett on Bush's view of history; Tom Tomorrow on Bush in the future; Tom Toles on the missing White House e-mails; Tony Auth on the White House wedding.