About a year ago ...

In remembrance of great leadership during a time of national crisis, an oldie but a goodie:

Air Force One, somewhere over the Mississippi Delta, Aug. 31, 2005 (UnCJ) - In an unusual break from his steadfast vacationing, President Bush had Air Force One fly over New Orleans and, from the comfort of an airborne sofa, immediately pronounced the city "wiped out." Local rescue officials slapped foreheads.

"D'oh! Is that the problem? Wow, without the keen eyes of the president watching over us, we might never have seen this. Thanks, George!"

People stranded on what remains of rooftops waved happily at the presidential aircraft after finally hearing what was wrong. Stricken residents could be overheard saying, "Damn, he's good!"

Much to the president's chagrin, the worst aspect of the disasterous flooding, collapsed buildings, dead bodies and floundering Americans seems to be that an amusement park was utterly destroyed by the hurricane. At one point, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said he thought it was "very sobering to see from the air."

Despite reports of widespread looting with some looters shooting at police -- a Wal-Mart was emptied of all firearms -- McClellan declared that "this is a time when all Americans need to come together and do all we can to support those in the Gulf state region." Whether this meant that the White House intends to deliver of more firearms to the region remains unclear.

True to his calling as a natural born leader, President Bush said that he would return to the nation's capital -- far, far away from the destruction and potentially lethal diseases that are expected -- in order that he can better serve the American people from the comfort of the Oval office.

[some of these facts supplied by CNN]