Can't wait for tomorrow night with President Bush.

My expectations are low, but I'm still eager to see what our leader has to say from New Orleans. Because he says he doesn't read the papers or watch TV news, he couldn't possibly know that everything he could possibly say has been said by everybody else. Even Dr. Phil has taken more initiative in the Gulf South than anybody in our so-called Government.

Local radio stations all over America--not generally paragons of activist community service--are doing more than all of Mr. Bush's underpowered bureaus. One of the pillars of conservative politics--whose name I'm blocking just now and I don't care--has said he doesn't just want to shrink government, he wants to "drown it in the bathtub." Unfortunate image. It seems the conservatives have submerged the top its head, but the drowning is taking place in a major chunk of our country.

Mr. Bush said yesterday that "to the extent" the government failed, he takes responsibility. The extent seems unlimited to me, sir.

But, we dare not stop with blowzy committee examinations and blame-placing. Look to yourself. We have the leaders we deserve, as Tom Friedman and Maureen Dowd suggest today. If we don't want leaders, or governments that work, how can we work together? Every Man for Himself didn't work in New Orleans. Could we have the Presidential election in 2006? How much damage can this government do in the next three years?