Laura Bush at the WHCD

I love Laura Bush. She is savvy, funny and always seems a real person in the midst of politics. To often, politicians and political spouses seem two dimensional. Laura and Barbara Bush both managed to be substantial to me. So does the junior senator from New York, although I deplore her. You can imagine them thinking about something other than thier pet issues, reading a book for pleasure, or catching a flick during a matinee.

So when I heard that some folks were getting in a twist over humorous comments Laura made at the White House Correspondents Dinner, I was prepared to disagree with them. Risque? For refering to the Chippendales? Maybe in the 80's. After President Clinton and his string of sexual exploits, refering to Lynn Cheney as "Dollar Bill" is hardly something to lift an eyebrow at. Agence France-Presse's corset is laced a little tight to be fainting at that.

For David Korn to play the 4 year old card and reference James Dobson, let's not be hypocritical. Just because social conservatives advocate restraint in the public square, does not make us sex fearing prudes without a sense of humor. Those large family red staters are not fearful of sex - you don't have 5 children by confining yourself to handholding. You don't explain innuendo to pre-schoolers and I seriously doubt any pre schoolers attended the WHCD. Leftist journalists laughed at Laura's jokes and delivery but couldn't admit to even a smidge of Bush liking the morning after.

Laura was roasting those who work with her and the President. It shows an ease of relationship that she could zing them in front of those who would inevitably be hostile later. The chainsaw bit? Hilarious. None of those guys are exactly subtle and they know it.