Keith Hudson [Editorial]

When I first learned that President Bush has a habit of "going to bed at 9.00pm" and. subsequently, that he never attends social and cultural occasions in Washington and, furthermore, that he spent almost every one of his week-ends at his ranch in Texas during his first term, I suspected that he was still a heavy drinker, managing to keep sober only in office hours.

Normally, I confine my attention to reading hard news in the newspapers and avoid reading too many opinion pieces. I very rarely pay attention to American blogsites. However, here is a quote from one called "Planetary" which a list member drew my attention to:

"According to reports now swirling through the political community in Washington, President George Bush is suffering through a painful nervous breakdown that was triggered by an acute and recurring outbreak of alcoholism that struck him at the time of Hurricane Katrina."

The twin problem of the Republican Party in America seems to be (a) How do we persuade Bush to ask for Cheney's resignation (perhaps on grounds of ill-health) before the 2006 mid-term elections, because we'll be slaughtered otherwise? (b) Will Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, Condoleeza Rice, Harriet Myers and Karen Hughes be able to keep Bush away from a total psychological collapse in the meantime?