My guess is they (the president and first lady) are discussing tradeoffs between SMU and Baylor but that they remain open, officially and personally, if there's something striking enough to catch their fancy.

204

Well, he is more careful, more cautious. He's protecting a lead. He's very sensitive to the fact that any misstep is going to be magnified a thousand fold.

201

I really didn't expect him to come off sounding like FDR, even though he mixed in some standard Republican proposals like enterprise zones and school vouchers.

180

Bush could go with somebody unexpected, like a politician, that could throw the opposition a little off balance.

175

Texas comes out smelling like a rose so far.

171

[The rebuilding efforts ahead will take place in the White House as well as along the Gulf Coast, says Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist at the University of Texas.] This goes right to the core of his strength and right to the core of the thing that has enabled him to stay plausible despite the political partisan divide in the country, ... Now he's in damage control big time.

151

It does supplant the memories (of Katrina), assuming he does well. But it might be a little hyperbolic to call it a second chance.

137

There is a tendency for current news to supplant old news, but the hit he took on Katrina, coupled with the hits he's taken on other areas -- the war, Social Security -- is a heavy load for this current hurricane to lift, even if he does really well.

128

The reason that trust is so important has to do with the long-standing belief that you could trust him, even if you don't always agree with him and don't understand what he's doing. The honesty dip is partly caused by a loss of faith in his credibility on Iraq.

105