Bush Asks For Do-Over

[almaty 19]

Bush Asks For Do-Over

Offers to Fire Rumsfeld

In the wee hours of the morning after American voters swept his party from power, President George W. Bush made an extraordinary appearance on national television to ask the national electorate for a "do-over."

Millions of viewers were tuned into televised Election Night coverage when Mr. Bush, using the nation's Emergency Broadcasting System, interrupted those telecasts to make a direct appeal to the American people.

Mr. Bush said that if the American people would grant him a do-over, he would gladly fire Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, referring to his longtime Cabinet member as "that loser."

Across the country, voters registered shock and astonishment at the unorthodox speech by Mr. Bush, many of them troubled by the president's decision to appear on national television wearing only a stained undershirt.

One hour after the president's address, Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean delivered the official Democratic response: "He must be on crack."

But minutes after Mr. Dean's appearance, Mr. Bush interrupted the networks' broadcasts once more, raising the ante in his bid for a do-over: "All right, I'll fire Cheney's ###, too, but that's my final offer."

Elsewhere, among the many who lost once-secure positions yesterday were Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn), Sen. Lincoln Chaffeee (R-R.I.), and Britney Spears' husband Kevin Federline.

[rebeccajo 14]

Very good Dean. Very good.