A Nice Thing to Say ...

About ... ahem ... George W. Bush.

OK, lest it be said I never have anything nice to say about our commander in chief -- not that anyone is paying attention, mind you -- I will commend his selection of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton to head the U.S. fundraising effort for tsunami victims. It was a classy demonstration of bipartisanship. And the commitment of $350 million, with the pledge that more will be forthcoming if needed, is strong evidence that the world's sole superpower is willing to lead even when it doesn't involve regime change.

Even The Washington Post gave Dubya credit. "The president's gestures, combined with a promise last week of $350 million in aid, significantly elevated the profile of American efforts in the wake of one of the world's worst modern natural disasters," writes WP reporter Fred Barbash. "There is little or no historic parallel to a private charitable fundraising drive organized by a sitting president of the United States under the leadership of two former chief executives."

So there. I'll say it (and probably just this once): Nice going, prez.