Suffering in Absence

Froomkin, one of my all-time favorite columnists, writes a piece today about the Bush's and whether the war is taking a toll on them. In the piece he quotes a number of reporters who suggest they don't seem to be suffering much yet he quotes Laura on The Today Show today talking about how hard it is for she and the Preznit to watch the terror of the Iraq war.

So has the war affected Bush?

Let me explain something. First, Bush believes that people who are dying are either a) dying for freeedum or b) destined and faited to die by god. But even more to the point, you have to have a conscience in order for something like people dying, particularly those under your command, to bother you. And please allow me to make this clear, George Bush has no conscience. None. Zip. Nada. It comes with the territory of his particular type of pathological personality. So Bush was being sincere when he said he sleeps well at night, better than you'd think. Because you see? You and I have a conscience and think that being in his position would be hard. But we're not like him (thank god).

You want to see George Bush experience some pain? Take away his bicycle. Or even better, tell him "no" about anything.

Added: Digby:

For all his faults, one of the hoariest myths about Bush that persists to this day is that he is loyal to a fault --- one of those backhanded criticisms that actually makes him somewhat sympathetic. It's nonsense. Bush uses people like kleenex, always has.

Added Again (h/t Kevin Drum) This is David Ignatius talking about the state of the Presidency:

If you want to hear despair in Washington these days, talk to Republicans...."This is the most incompetent White House I've seen since I came to Washington," said one GOP senator.

[Etc. etc.]

When a presidency is as severely damaged as this one, the normal drill is to empower a strong and politically adept White House chief of staff to make the necessary changes....The current White House chief of staff, Josh Bolten, needs to mount a similar salvage mission, argue several prominent Republicans. They question whether he's politically adept enough. But most of all, they question whether Bolten or anyone else can break through Bush's tight, tough shell and tell him the truth. What's starting to crack isn't the obdurate Bush, but the country.

Allow me to answer the question. No. No one will penetrate Bush's thick head.