f George Bush were a film director rather than president, a studio chief would shut down his movie and demand a major re-write. That's because Bush started off making a John Wayne Western and instead is ending up with 'Apocalypse Now." That's how editor and former studio chief Peter Bart begins his column in today's Daily Variety.

If former Vice President and presidential candidate Al Gore is inclined to sit out the 2008 race, it is just possible that a Draft Gore movement could begin. He currently refers to himself in interviews as a "recovering politician", but sometimes adds that he has to be wary of a relapse. He's certainly polished his performance and gained considerable appeal, with his documentary about global warming, and his almost solo performance in opposing the Iraq war in the earliest stages. One thing is for sure, Mr. Gore is enjoying himself with all the freedom of being a non-candidate.

Have you been following the forward movement on the "National Popular Vote Campaign" - which is aiming to undermine the Constitution's Electoral College? If you're wavering on whether or not the idea is a good one, think simply of what happened in 2000.
George W. Bush won the presidency despite garnering 500,000 votes fewer than Al Gore. Four years later the situation might well have been reversed if Sen. Kerry had received just 60,000 more votes in Ohio - despite the fact that the overall tally of votes gave a three million advantage to the incumbent. One day, perhaps sooner than later, we might find ourselves faced with true democracy, with people directly selecting their own leaders.

A bit of irony from the talented cartoonist Horsey, with a four picture story in many papers today.
A shadowy character says, "I have nothing to hide. If the government wants to check my telephone records, I have no problem with that. "Second picture is captioned "If the government arrests reporters for divulging classified information, I have no problem with that. "Third in the panel reads "And if the government tortures suspected enemies and imprisons them without trial, I have no problem with that. "And then it has the character seated, boozing, in front of an old USSR flag, and he says "If comrade Stalin says it's necessary for homeland security, that's good enough for me! "Ouch!

Something that never occurred to me and perhaps, in a spare moment, we should investigate. Tom Bodett, who does the nice -sounding commercials for inexpensive lodgings nationwide, has pointed out that it's strange that there are riots going on in Paris, East Timor and Kabul the very week that Katie Couric leaves NBC. He asks, "Am I the only one connecting the dots here." Probably yes!

The 2006 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Germany this week and the world will be watching. The United States team has a better chance this time round than ever before; entering the contest of the nations ranked fifth. It could happen, but I still think Italy has the best chance of bringing home the honors. Already, way in advance of the kick-off, all 3 million tickets for the 64 matches have already been sold.

Jim Hightower, broadcaster and editor/publisher of the Hightower Lowdown, a really worthwhile sheet of news and opinion, sent me the following fact, insurance companies refuse to pay $150 for a diabetic to visit a podiatrist, who can help prevent foot ailments caused by diabetes, but they will shell out $30,000 to cover a foot amputation caused by diabetes.
I believe that universal care is a moral issue. A stat we've heard over and over is worth repeating, our system leaves out fully 46 million of us without any health care coverage. That's one in six people with no care or protection...including 8.3 million children, and we are in the richest nation in the history of the world.

Until the next journal with, perhaps, better news and views.