1115.org

Some have wondered why Bush, so clearly tortured by thoughts of what his legacy will turn out to be, has never once in the seven years of his presidency mounted a serious effort to bring about peace in the Middle East.

Well, now we know:

While reading a joint agreement on principles established between the Israelis and Palestinians at today’s Annapolis conference, President Bush stumbled in pronouncing the names of the two leaders standing right next to him — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Nobody enjoys humiliating himself in public. Least of all George Bush. He may have managed to do it a large number of times in the past (countably infinite?), but that has probably not helped to inure him to the shame.