Baby Talk

The Boston Globe reports that "White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card said yesterday that President Bush views America as a '10-year-old child' in need of the sort of protection provided by a parent."

A Kerry spokesman, seizing on Card's characterization of Bush as a parental figure for the nation, contended that the president had failed.

''Any parent that ran a household the way George W. Bush runs the country would find themselves in bankruptcy court on the way to family court," said Phil Singer, a Kerry spokesman. ''Just over the last year, 1.3 million people have fallen into poverty, including 700,000 children, and 1.4 million people have lost their health insurance while family incomes have declined three years in a row. America can do better."

Ironically, I view George W. Bush as a 10-year-old child in need of the sort of time-out provided by a parent.