Raines Wants Bush's Head Examined

Today in the Washington Post, Howell Raines did his best David Brooks impersonation, extrapolating from a couple of anti-Bush bumper stickers in Ponoco Summit, Pa. ("less than seven miles from a NASCAR track") that "some voters" have a "secret fear" that "George W. Bush is not smart enough to continue as president." Raines then goes onto talk about how the press has failed the public in not investigating this issue further: "[T]he subject is seldom taken head-on by the mainstream newspapers and network news." Not sure what Howell really wants here, though. Administer an IQ test on the air? Present press conference questions in the form of anagrams? Have him try to make fire? How smart do you have to be to President, anyway? We sort of thought the act of, you know,having people vote for youproved some kinda intelligence. And you know what they say: It takes a brilliant politician to win an election. It takes a really brilliant politician to steal one.

 The 'Dumb' Factor [WP]