leadership of smirks

I was reading a Salon(which has declined recently) article on John Kerry: The Video Game, when I came across a turn of phrase that brilliantly captures what I hope will be Bush's downfall in this election:

As Iraq teeters once more on the brink, his [Kerry's] opposite offers little more than the leadership of smirks.

I would have thought Maureen Dowd or perhaps E.J. Dionne would have come up with something this good, but I guess not.

Second, (as cited in Howard Kurtz's Media Notes), Michael Tomasky (The American Prospect's Executive Editor) writes in his weekly online column:

We saw the usual mental confusion and frighteningly long pauses as his mind scoured its grim landscape for an appropriate word.

In reading both of these pieces, specific images of the President stumbling for words, or smirking smugly immediately spring to mind. That's good writing.

Oh, and finally Sen. Kerry provides his vision for leadership in Iraq in a decent piece in today's Post.

Off to go watch Ashcroft testify. I hope it isn't too hot.