and I never did find out how that goat book ended, either

Most people are focusing on George W. Bush’s “best” moment as president--and perhaps rightly so. You see, in an interview given to German news-weekly Bild um Sonntag, the Bush was asked about the high-water mark of his first five years in office:

I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound perch in my lake.

Leader of the free world, and what gives him the greatest sense of accomplishment? Healing the sick? Feeding the hungry? Helping--in some way--other people? No, you see, it’s not about you (whoever you might be), it’s about, as Bush would see it, “me.” Catching a really big fish, for himself, from his private lake--which is probably pre-stocked with fish by his employees (or, seeing as he is our president, are they our employees?) every time he’s on the “ranch”--that’s what’s great about being Mr. Big.

But, you know what? Even though that “revelation” about our nation’s head ass master (oops, I meant to say, “bass master”--but leaving out the “b” will do wonders for my hit rate) is really upsetting, the second half of the quote, which has been getting less play, is possibly worse.

When then asked about his worst moment as president, Bush responded that it was September 11, 2001:

In such a situation it takes a while before one understands what is happening. I would say that this was the hardest moment, once I had the real picture before my eyes.

How long did it take before you could grasp what was happening, Mr. President? Did it take you those five minutes after you were told by Andy Card that America was “under attack,” and you sat reading The Pet Goat? Did it take you those many hours after that, when you played hide and go seek on Air Force One? Or, maybe, noting your "best moment," maybe you still don’t have a real picture of what’s going on.