President Bush, and most of the Washington lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, have been so full of self-serving partisan detritus for so long, that when something that truly needs taking care of arises, they’re devoid of credibility.

Bush laid out a good case tonight. He probably didn’t understand what he was reading, but his reading itself was excellent. His gaze was unwavering to the point of android-like. The text of what he read did a good job of simplifying a complex set of circumstances, without dumbing them down to the point where they were unrecognizable.

The problem is that he had this same resolution when he declared his reasons for attacking Iraq, and when he told Brownie about the great job Brownie was doing while one of America’s great treasures sank. And he had this same resolution when he repeatedly declared the economy strong, as Bear Stearns, Fannie, and Freddie ate dirt.

So let’s cut the American public some slack if they’re not buying what he and the rest of the bi-partisan crew of con artists are selling, even if, this time, Bush and the DC mob have it right.