David Frum makes a very important point, beyond the “sexism” charge:

In the first week of the battle, the White House sent out James Dobson to woo evangelical conservatives. That didn’t work out too well. So now the White House has switched strategies. It has turned its back on conservative evangelicals and is instead using Laura Bush to woo suburban moderates. But remember: Laura Bush is on record as a supporter – not just of abortion rights – but of the Roe v. Wade decision. Interviewed on the Today program in January 2001, Mrs. Bush was asked point blank about the case. Her answer: “No, I don’t think it should be overturned.” Is it credible that Mrs. Bush would be endorsing Harriet Miers if the first lady thought that Miers would really do what James Dobson thinks she’ll do?

Proposed: Born To Run is the greatest rock song of all time.

Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend

I want to guard your dreams and visions

Just wrap your legs ’round these velvet rims

and strap your hands across my engines . . .

Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard

The girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors

And the boys try to look so hard

The amusement park rises bold and stark

Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist

I wanna die with you Wendy on the streets tonight

In an everlasting kiss

The highway’s jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive

Everybody’s out on the run tonight

but there’s no place left to hide

Together Wendy we’ll live with the sadness

I’ll love you with all the madness in my soul

Someday girl I don’t know when

we’re gonna get to that place

Where we really want to go

and we’ll walk in the sun

But till then tramps like us

baby we were born to run

It is epic, lovelorn poetry. Discuss.

Let it not be said that I don’t face reality. From Galley Friend L.B.:

Let me stipulate that 1) I didn’t see the game – have only read recaps and looked at stats; 2) Philly is still a better team than Dallas at this point and certainly has a better shot at winning it all this year; 3) McNabb is hurting, and every team has a bad/listless day occasionally…

Now, having said all that: this is the kind of win that says a franchise is on its way back to the top (though it may still take a while to get there). I think about the way Philly’s offense has been putting up points lately and then I look at the stats from yesterday: *19* yards rushing for the Eagles? McNabb sacked 4 times? Only 5 catches for T.O. and no touchdowns?

And then on the other side of the ball: Drew Bledsoe is barely touched, and embarrasses the vaunted Eagles secondary? Our free-agent rookie running back (who, I’ll grant, was a steal — he’s a real burner) racks up 75 yards rushing after Julius Jones tweaks his ankle? The Cowboys pick up 28 (!!) first downs to the Eagles’ paltry 6, and dominate time of possession 40 minutes to 20?

That, my friend, was just an old-fashioned whippin’, of the likes the Eagles have handed to the Cowboys all too often in recent years. Now I’m sure the Eagles will repay the favor back in Philly in a few weeks, but at least the Cowboys will be coming off their bye week going into that one. . . . If I were you, besides McNabb’s health I’d be most worried about the Eagles’ apparent lack of a running game. Westbrook is fantastic but he’s not the type of RB who can put a team on his shoulders, grind out first downs and burn clock on long drives to take pressure off of McNabb.

Strong stuff, but I can take it. I know that the Birds will rebound and finish 12-4 before losing McNabb in the final game of the season and blowing it in the NFC championship game. Again.

Bonus insider note: I’m happy to take my licks from L.B. and Jenny, but if anyone else throws in a cheap shot, well, I won’t ban you from comments, but I’ll be very hurt. I haven’t felt this delicate since the final days of Richie the K.

If I haven’t mentioned it already, please do go and bookmark WorldwideStandard.com, the new foreign-policy blog being run by Dan McKivergan.

It’s fantastic stuff.

It was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and a warm breeze was blowing down the Strip. I spent part of that day, however, hunkered down at the Aladdin Sports Book, watching the Redskins/Broncos game. Next to me and my wife sat a woman who was smoking up a storm, drinking beer, and watching the game while simultaneously playing video poker. Now that’s what I call living.

With all the other games going on and fans yelling at Keyshawn Johnson who was yelling at Drew Bledsoe, it was hard to notice the security guard who came up to a man at the bar and told him to leave. Even though he wasn’t bothering anyone, the old man was clearly getting blitzed and was just sitting there in a daze. Luckily he left before they called in Mr. Happy and a cattle prod.

I picked the Skins who lost (19-21) but beat the spread (Denver by 7).

I got a sad reminder of the paucity of anecdotal evidence on Saturday night when I went to see Serenity at the local movie palace. The show was sold out–not a single seat was empty. After being disappointed by the movie’s opening weekend, I had a glimmer of hope, thinking that maybe this meant that Serenity had found its audience and would have long legs.

No such luck. Serenity declined by 46 percent, which is a little worse than average for a film with its release pattern. Deaniacs take note.

Not that any of this will stop my Whedon evangelism. If you’re thinking about seeing Serenity, but haven’t watched the Firefly DVDs yet, Galley Friend M.R. sends along this link to an “essential Firefly” reel. Enjoy.

Serial flattery is never a one-time offense; suck-ups have an incredibly high rate of recidivism. So after seeing Harriet Miers’s gushing about George W. Bush’s brilliance, today’s New York Times story comes as no surprise. But still: Whoa. Highlights:

* “You are the best governor ever – deserving of great respect,” Harriet E. Miers wrote to George W. Bush days after his 51st birthday in July 1997.

* A few days later, Ms. Miers wrote to thank the Bushes, saying, “Texas has a very popular governor and first lady!” She recalled a little girl who collected Mr. Bush’s autograph and said, “I was struck by the tremendous impact you have on the children whose lives you touch.”

* On March 25, on the letterhead of her Dallas law firm, Locke Purnell Rain Harrell, Ms. Miers wrote to thank him “for taking the time to visit in the office and on the plane back – cool!”

“Keep up all the great work,” she wrote. “The state is in great hands. Thanks also for yours and your family’s personal sacrifice.”

* In October 1997, Ms. Miers sent Mr. Bush a flowery greeting card in thanks for a letter that he had written on her behalf. In it, she said of his daughters: “Hopefully Jenna and Barbara recognize that their parents are ‘cool’ – as do the rest of us.”

She added, “All I hear is how great you and Laura are doing,” and ended, “Texas is blessed.”

You can pick your own favorite, but personally I can’t decide if I’m more horrified by Miers invoking “the children” whose lives Bush has touched (Hey, I hear they’re our future!) or her putting quotes around the word “cool.”

From the Today Show this morning:

Matt Lauer: Some are suggesting there’s a little possible sexism in the [conservative] criticism of Judge Miers. How do you feel about that?

MRS. BUSH: That’s possible. I think that’s possible.