Whoops, Who Let the Seven Year Old Through? Sub Title: The Only Think Lurking In a W Town Meeting

Well, slap me silly and call me stupid for standing in the way of your fist, but there wasn't a challenging question handed to Mr. Bush in today's political press junket to use the good people of Kentucky as political pawns.

The best question came from a seven year old, and that one was even a softball. Still the Prez spews more of his usual rehetoric. Have a look at one parapraph from his speechifying and the Q and A from the 7 year old for a taste. Don't bother with the whole speech unless you are really tired and need a cure for insomnia or your a bigger transcript wonk than me:

Beware the lurker!

And I vowed that we'd find those killers and bring them to justice. And that's what we're doing. We're on the hunt for an enemy that still lurks. I know, because I'm briefed on a daily basis about the threats that face the United States of America. And my duty is to assess this world the way it is, not the way we'd like it to be. And there's a danger that lurks -- and there's a danger that lurks because we face an enemy which cannot stand freedom. It's an enemy which has an ideology that does not believe in free speech, free religion, free dissent, does not believe in women's rights, and they have a desire to impose their ideology on much of the world.

And now up, the Seven Year Old:

How old are you?

Q Seven.

THE PRESIDENT: Okay. That's good. (Lau ghter.)

Q How can people help on the war on terror?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, that's the hardest question I've had all day. (Laughter.) First of all, I expect there to be an honest debate about Iraq, and welcome it. People can help, however, by making sure the tone of this debate is respectful and is mindful about what messages out of the country can do to the morale of our troops. (Applause.) I fully expect in a democracy -- I expect and, frankly, welcome the voices of people saying, you know, Mr. President, you shouldn't have made that decision, or, you know, you should have done it a better way. I understand that. What I don't like is when somebody said, he lied. Or, they're in there for oil. Or they're doing it because of Israel. That's the kind of debate that basically says the mission and the sacrifice were based on false premise. It's one thing to have a philosophical difference -- and I can understand people being abhorrent about war. War is terrible. But one way people can help as we're coming down the pike in the 2006 elections, is remember the effect that rhetoric can have on our troops in harm's way, and the effect that rhetoric can have in emboldening or weakening an enemy. So that was a good question. Thank you. (Applause.) Let's see, yes, ma'am. I'm running out of time here. You're paying me a lot of money, and I've got to get back to work. (Laughter.)

Q Thank you for taking the time with us.

THE PRESIDENT: I'm thrilled to be here.