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.