Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?

It's Bubba's turn to throw the ashtray, to stamp his feet. Two of his gods have forsaken him. Let's recount how, then look into why.

First, le papier de rapport reviews his book. Oh my. "[S]loppy, self-indulgent and often eye-crossingly dull ... it devolves into a hodgepodge of jottings: part policy primer, part 12-step confessional, part stump speech and part presidential archive, all, it seems, hurriedly written and even more hurriedly edited."

But the best part, so direct for the NYT, is the compound issues presented here: "Part of the problem, of course, is that Mr. Clinton is concerned, here, with cementing - or establishing - his legacy, while at the same time boosting (or at least not undermining) the political career of his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton." So nuanced. You'd swear Kerry wrote it.

The second god to take Bubba down a notch is none less than the BBC. It seems like he was being baited on the topic of Monica in an interview. The BBC reporter was, um, relentless (feels odd to use those words in one sentence). Bubba got testy - "He is visibly angry with Dimbleby's line of questioning and some of that anger gets directed at Dimbleby himself. As outbursts go, it is not just some flash that is over in an instant. It is something substantial and sustained."

But, again, there's a better part: "It is memorable television which will give the public a different insight into the President's character. It will leave them wondering whether he is as contrite as he says he is about past events. Dimbleby manages to remain calm and order is eventually restored." They're gonna broadcast it!!! They are questioning Bubba's sincerity.

OK. Whew. The NYT and BBC take their shots at deflating Bubba. Such odd timing. With the Reagan funeral bringing back memories of glorious conservative moments, it seemed perfect for Bubba to follow so quickly and suck all the oxygen out of the room that Bullwinkle J. Kerry seems so incapable of doing himself. 60 Minutes does its piece; CBS mandates broadcast; Dan Rather gets punked out and is lovin' it!! All of the planets were lining up. It seemed like a NASA countdown leading to Bubba telling Kerry, "Watch me this summer, son. Let me show you how it is down. Grab a hold of my coattail." Then Bubba would fly off like Peter Pan, returning to human status after the DNC convention or Labor Day. In his wake would be Bullwinkle, buoyed in the polls, and W licking newly inflicted wounds; and in front of him a roadmap to lead Bullwinkle to the White House.

But the liberal media seems to have other plans; they do not want all-Clinton-all-the-time. Is this a newfound sense of distaste for the man who would have sex with young women the age of his daughter? For a man that parses words down to the shortest verb? Who looked like a deer in the headlights when asked about a cigar? I doubt it. That is all well-worn territory. Is it something new - a cold, hard realization that that dog just don't hunt no more? Can't be. Viability and decorum have never hesitated either media outlet from throwing something, anything into President Bush's path. There must be something else.

They have made Clinton seem ill-prepared and angry. Could it be that they seek to thereby establish Bullwinkle as deeply prepared and calm? An intelligence like Bubba's but without the erratic chart? A thoughtful man, one who seeks the nuance out of the seemingly trivial, one who perceives the depth of still waters, one who calmly stretches out his hand to WW2 allies and rivals alike and embraces their socialism ... all without wanting or expecting sex in return?

Naw. C'mon. We're talking Kerry here. Are the NYT and BBC really that stupid, and more so, think that we are that stupid? On second thought, maybe there's a point buried in there.

(btw ... Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? - Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34)