This little goodie may soon have folks looking for an improved model for 2004:

Suspend disbelief: Imagine he is an actual person. When you conduct a comfortable, natural conversation, you will find the experience more rewarding. AI Bush is always ready for interaction. AI Bush often has his own ideas for the conversation, so if you don’t get the response you want, rephrasing and being persistant sometimes get results.
AI Bush conversations contain a fair amount of current and biographical info that sometimes makes him think he is the real life George W. Bush. Responses that are actual quotes of Geroge W. Bush are included in quote marks.
AI Bush is more than willing to enter into discussions about college days, youthful exuberance, family matters, business deals, political correctness, assorted pastimes, various favorites, grammar issues, economics, or national and international politics.

Well, most of us have had at least 3 years practice with the suspend belief bit and many still haven’t quite been able to accept the idea w is real.
And, as a major enhancement, AI bush can learn new things and will, thus, run circles around the current model. Perhaps AI bush will challenge w for the Republican nomination.
Go download it now.
As Phil at The Speculist says: “George W. Headroom?”.

Go read this US News & World Report article now.
This penchant for secrecy and withholding information from the public, from the very public they are supposed to serve, is a severe failure of the bush administration.
We need open governments (if they are to exist at all) and informed citizens.
Via Talkleft.

In 2000 George W. Bush campaigned across the country telling voters: “My opponent trusts government. I trust you.”
Little wonder that some of his supporters are now wondering which candidate won that election.

Go read the rest of why David Boaz thinks bush may be headed for election problems.
Via Crescat Sententia.

Read all of this Newsday opinion piece:

What is the same in the Guantanamo cases, and those of Hamdi and Padilla, is the president’s insistence that he alone has the authority to decide who should be locked up and when, if ever, they will be released.
It’s not supposed to work that way in the land of the free.

No, it should not work that way in the land of the free.
Not only should the Golden Rule be operative here but also the simple fact that these detainees are human beings and vested with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness argues for different treatment.
At a minimum these folk should be treated in accordance with the Geneva Convention. If any of them are to be charged with crimes then it should have been done long ago and they should have been tried in an open court and convicted or released.
Via Talkleft.

There are some conservatives (many of a libertarian bent) who are not happy with the bush administration. Those looking to unseat bush would do well to take a look at what these folks are unhappy with and figure out how to integrate some of their concerns into your arguments.
Many good examples of these issues (you won’t agree with everything) are detailed in this post by Josh Claybourn who tells us:

But over the past three years – essentially since George W. Bush has taken office – conservatism’s role in the party has come into question. I’ve listened and tried to understand the logic put forth by some in the GOP that Bush’s brand of politics is the best option available. After a few years contemplating this predicament I’ve come to the conclusion that that’s just not so. Here is a condensed list of complaints.

Go read’m in the post linked above.
Radley Balko adds another complaint here where he gives you the talking point: Why doesn’t bush support the constitution? Sure, you might think it is a good thing that bush signed the campaign finance reform bill, flawed as it was, but if he thought it was unconstitutional what principles led him to break his oath of office?