If you missed the press conference, don't worry and rejoice! I did and it spoiled a rare moment of happiness and contentment that was born of talking to interesting and intelligent people. I came home, turned to CNN, and whoosh! Gooey nugat goodness all gone, replaced by sickly pre-vomit feeling.

Why do we do this to ourselves? We know anything resembling spontaneity doesn't go anywhere near Bush. We know that answering questions merely means monologuing for 45 minutes with pauses for breathe in which reporters are allowed to pour meaningless words. We know this and yet we tune in on the off-chance of an entertaining or scandalous anomaly.

What I hate more than the swaggering faux-Texas postering is the attempt at gravity and depth. For the most part, it looked as if someone made Bush take a cold shower. Still. he couldn't hide how hard up he is for war.