George Bush's response to Benazir Bhutto's assassination: read the Cliff Notes

George W. Bush has never been accused of being eloquent, creative or masterful in the face of crisis, but what can be said is he doesn't appear rattled by events that unsettle others, responding to each situation with the same canned script. Yesterday our president had to interrupt whatever it is he doesn't do at his ranch in Crawford, Texas to make a short, obligatory statement in response to the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

W, attempting to look solemn and presidential, pulled out the speech where he says, "The United States condemns this cowardly act, the work of extremist assassins trying to undermine democracy" and continuing on to demand that those responsible be brought to justice.

The man could have made his job even less demanding by suggesting at the start of his first term that we TIVO each of his speeches -- this one where he condemns a cowardly attack, the one that has him bullying and threatening other world leaders and the third that he delivers after "a good person" has been found guilty of something heinous and has been forced to resign -- which we could all then play on the appropriate occasions. It's unfortunate that Bush's holiday time, which he clearly values, has to be interrupted.

If, when Bush becomes a former president and gets a book deal, it should be "Cliff Notes for an American President".