"The worst thing that has happened to the world is George W. Bush."
-Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela
What could possibly make George Bush cry? The horror of genocide in Darfur? The deaths of thousands of American soldiers and over 100,000 Iraqis? A 30-something percent approval rating (two percent among blacks)?
No. It was none of these nightmares. It was the heroics of the autistic high school student who was sent into a basketball game near the end and promptly connected on six 3-pointers to give his team the win. ABC News reported that Bush saw the replay of the game "and wept." Who knew?

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Good-bye Fourth Amendment. You've been a great friend. US News and World Report says the Bush Administration, which has been conducting warrant-less wiretapping in violation of federal law, also wants to conduct warrant-less physical searches in its never-ending quest to end terrorism.

The magazine reports that last January Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez sent a 47-page "white paper" to Congress arguing that the Bush Administration is justified in conducting physical searches without court approval of American citizens and their homes as part of the war on terror. The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from unreasonable search and seizure.

The story quotes a former Justice Department attorney who says the White House is sending an "unambiguous message to Congress for the inherent presidential power to conduct warrant-less physical searches."

The magazine also reports that the White House pressed the FBI to use information obtained from the warrant-less wiretaps in court cases without disclosing the origin and to "be prepared to drop prosecution" if judges demanded to know the source of the information.

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At a recent press conference, George called on veteran journalist Helen Thomas for the first time in four years. She wanted to know the answer to the Big Question: just why did we go to war in Iraq? Bush avoided the question by declaring "no president wants to go to war," stopped her from following up and moved on. We still don't know why.

In a recent CBS poll, Americans were asked if they believed Bush's assertion that we're in Iraq to free the people and establish a democracy. Three percent said they believed him and 97 percent said he was lying.

On "Face the Nation," VP Dick declared, "The statements we've made (about Iraq) have been BASICALLY accurate." Is that the same as "partially inaccurate?"

Bush's position was even more disheartening. "American forces will remain in Iraq for years and it will be up to future presidents to bring them home." He also said, "We will use our military might to protect our ally Israel." Don't they have their own nukes?

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Democracy Now (KPFA) reports that more that 8,000 soldiers have deserted the military since the war began, while the Justice Department announced it is intensifying the search for Viet Nam war deserters.

The Pentagon is investigating allegations that a group of Marines, angered by a roadside bombing in November, shot and killed 15 members of two Iraqi families in retaliation.

The New York Times reports that shortly after the "friendly fire" killing of pro football star and Ranger Pat Tillman in Afghanistan, fellow Rangers destroyed critical evidence, burning his uniform and body armor, according to Army records. Several reasons, including hygiene, were given.

The FBI officer who arrested and questioned Zacarias Moussaoui told a jury he had alerted his superiors 70 times (yes, 70) that the Islamic fundamentalist hated America and might be plotting to hijack an airplane.

Maureen Dowd wrote in the Times recently that the FBI officer, Harry Samit, said he was obstructed by "criminally negligent" FBI officials in Washington. Another FBI officer, Greg Jones, urged the FBI to prevent Moussaoui "from flying a plane into the World Trade Center," Dowd wrote.

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While Bush was accusing the Democrats of having "a huge appetite for spending," the Republican House narrowly voted to allow the National Debt to grow to $9 Trillion, more that the debt of 40 presidents added together. And for the third straight month, the jobless rate increased, as 5,000 jobs mysteriously disappeared.

Bush also criticized the insurgents in Iraq because "they're willing to kill innocent people," while showing his gratitude to US soldiers with a two percent pay raise, the lowest pay raise the military has received in 12 years.

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A group of 24 California voters have sued Secretary of State Bruce McPherson and eight county election officials to block the use of Diebold voting machines in the November elections. McPherson had given "provisional certification" to 17 of the machines, which a spokeswoman said had to adhere to "a strict set of security procedures designed to prevent unauthorized access." Huh?

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Pizza bigwig, Thomas Monahan, founder of Dominos, has put up $250 million of his own money to create a new town in Florida which will be governed by "strict Roman Catholic principalsÉ merging faith and freedom to create a community of like-minded citizens."

The new town, Ave Maria, will be located 25 miles east of Naples, Fla. And will include a Catholic university, but no x-rated cable. Gov. Jeb and hardly no one else likes the idea. The ACLU doesn't and is threatening to sue.

And if all of this isn't depressing enough, Barry Manilow's new album soared to No. 1.