Press The Meat

Pumpkinhead is in the Oval Office for the Bush interview. The Democratic Party's nominee will want to bookmark this page for future reference.

Look for (1) "hard questions" phrased in such an open-ended manner that Bush can answer them in any way he likes ("you're a fiscal conservative, but what about the deficit?," "is this country really safer since 9/11?"); (2) no gotcha quotes, unanticipated topics or facts and figures; (3) ample opportunity to either bash the Dems or claim the high road ("I'm too busy protecting the country to pay attention to what the Democrats say").

Only Fred Flintstone on crack would think Russert will rough Bush up. How's Russert going to "play[] those you-said-this-in-1999 clips" when the Administration won't allow a television monitor in the Oval Office, Putzie?

Update (2/5): The interview will be taped on Saturday, and Bush has already announced his agenda (intelligence and the "pursuing the war on terrorism"). We will get a real-time interview or Karl Rove's director's cut?