A Tale of Two Women

OK, maybe we can't start out with "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Maybe we can say, "It was just about the worst of times, but things were looking up just a little bit."

Here's my take. In 2005, two women have done more to turn the tide the bully presidency of George W. Bush more than an electorate, a nation, any court or war have done up to now.

OK, make that three women - all within weeks of each other.

First came Cindy Sheehan, with the right mix of earnestness and righteousness, seasoned to perfection. August may not be the Oscar-winning month for news and people paying attention to anything beyond the duldrums of summer, but Sheehan owned the brunt of the month of August.

Now comes along the similarly earnest but not as warm and fuzzy Harriet Miers. But let's not blame Ms. Miers in any way. For her appearance, we have Mr. Bush to thank himself. She's surely a better lawyer and cozy loyalist than most, and many of us about now, wanting to grab the steering wheel of this careening nation, would take the president up on the same offer ourselves, come hell or high water.

And speaking of high water, why of course, there's that third woman, the imperfect (but not far off) storm named Katrina, which laid bare for CNN (and even FOX!) to see the seedy underbelly of Lady Liberty's call... "Bring me your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me."

Now how will Mr. Bush get us to believe that he and his are truly the ones to lift up their lamps beside the golden door?

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