Not a good listener. Via Kos:

From today's Social Security event in Galveston, Texas:

MR. BENTLEY: And we're operating in central Iraq. I'll be back there next week.

[Snip]

THE PRESIDENT: How many children you got?

MR. BENTLEY: We have two children. We have a four-year-old son named Patrick, and a three-month-old daughter named Elaine that I just got to meet for the first time.

THE PRESIDENT: Really?

MR. BENTLEY: Yes, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: No wonder you're emotional. (Laughter.) That's awesome.

MRS. BENTLEY: She was born two days after he deployed.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, great.

He really just doesn't give a shit. These people are just props for his Bamboozlepalooza. Any normal person wouldn't sit there and listen to someone say that he has missed out on the first three months of his child's life and will again have to leave his family in a week (because of said person's own actions) and say, "Yes, great."

This certainly isn't the first time Shrub has displayed this type of inappropriate affect. From a February "destroying social security" tax-payer funded, access-restricted event:

THE PRESIDENT: Mary is with us. Mary Mornin. How are you, Mary?

MS. MORNIN: I'm fine.

THE PRESIDENT: Good. Okay, Mary, tell us about yourself.

MS. MORNIN: Okay, I'm a divorced, single mother with three grown, adult children. I have one child, Robbie, who is mentally challenged, and I have two daughters.

THE PRESIDENT: Fantastic.

....

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, but nevertheless, there's a certain comfort to know that the promises made will be kept by the government.

MS. MORNIN: Yes.

THE PRESIDENT: And so thank you for asking that. You don't have to worry.

MS. MORNIN: That's good, because I work three jobs and I feel like I contribute.

THE PRESIDENT: You work three jobs?

MS. MORNIN: Three jobs, yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that. (Applause.) Get any sleep? (Laughter.)

MS. MORNIN: Not much. Not much.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, hopefully, this will help you get you sleep to know that when we talk about Social Security, nothing changes.

MS. MORNIN: Okay, thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: That's great.

Goddam, Shrub is an optimist. Only he could see being a single parent working three jobs with a mentally challenged child as "Fantastic." If working three jobs is uniquely American, isn't that a sign that something is just a little fucked up?

Meanwhile, oil companies are seeing a surge in profits, something that has a more direct effect on Ms.Mornin than anything Shrub wants to do to kill social security.

The number of significant terror acts tripled from 2003 to 2004.

And in Iraq, the number of insurgent attacks per week is at 400, essentially the same as a year ago. I wonder at what point more people will demand a more coherent exit strategy than, "We'll be there as long as we have to and not a day more."

No wonder Shrub wants to extend his Bamboozlepalooza tour.