New Orleans        My query to the White House communication office yesterday was rejected categorically as having “no basis in fact.”  Nonetheless, I believe the response in more accurately filed as “not at this time,” because given the huge unpopularity of President Bush in the United States and around most of the world, it is still a good outside bet that he is thinking about retiring to Albania.

    It is more unlikely that we could do a one-for-one swap at this time, trading the current Albanian President for President Bush straight up, regardless of whether most Americans could pronounce his name and, in a spirit of national reconciliation in the wake of another immigration bill disaster, regardless of his lack of US citizenship.  These are desperate times and they require desperate measures!

    The picture on the front page of the New York Times said it all.  Bush was being mobbed and there was no question from the head shot that his new found Albanian buddies were giving him “noogies!” on the noggin.   An article talked about Bush in a virtual “mosh pit” of people just feeling the love from the Albanians by the hundreds and thousands.  

    Albania is obviously the kind of nickname-loving, ass-slapping, noogie-giving place where George Bush would feel right at home.  Despite the wreck and ruin that Bush has done to the American national reputation, Albania seems poorer than dirt and hobbling on such shaky pins as it tries to lurch forward into world mainstream that even George Bush looks good and might be able to do something good over there.  He’s no Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton.  He’s going to need to really focus and Albania seems the perfect place.

    Especially if we can not work a trade right now!