The Last of the Compassionate Conservatives

Courtesy of a reader (who does not so much mind being identified, as he minds being identified ON A BLOG), an excerpt from Wolf Blitzer's "Situation Room":

Wolf) BLITZER: What do you think, Bay, about the vice president now
stepping in and being appointed by the president effectively to take charge
and make sure the red tape, the bureaucracy is not there?

(Bay) BUCHANAN [Pat's sister]: A week late. I would like to have seen him
put the vice president in charge last week, to be quite honest.

I think it's an excellent idea. We still hear stories that things are not
getting done as smoothly as they should. And if it takes someone as the
vice president of the United States who can say no, it's going to be done
this way. That's it. He's clearly a take-charge kind of guy, and can do it.
And I don't think it's too high of a person to personality to be in charge
of this terrible disaster.

(Paul) BEGALA: I have to say, the White House is usually much better as the
optics of setting these kinds of events. Contrast that with the footage you
showed a little while ago here in THE SITUATION ROOM of Laura Bush, our
first lady: warm, gracious, surrounded by kids.

There's Dick Cheney standing alone, and he is not a warm and fuzzy guy.

He looked like he was sort of looking around, anybody here got a pet they
need euthanized? You know, I'm ready to help. You know, he's just a
grouchy, old guy. Now, maybe that contributes to a sense of competence,
which is sorely lacking. " (CNN, "The Politics of Hurricane Katrina," Sep. 8, 2005).