A Bush "Vision"

It was just a small part of a conversation on Hardball yesterday between host Chris Matthews and White House correspondent April Ryan.

But, it is probably one of the creepiest things I've ever heard said about The Decider. And, that is saying something.

Matthews set the stage: "Does the president listen to whispers like St. Joan of Arc, April, because the question, when you read him lately, is that he seems to be a man possessed of a messianic purpose in the Middle East. We're fighting a war for god, for democracy, for freedom. He says that all the time. Yes? April?"

Ryan: "....The president has said, you know, that he believes in symbols. He has talked about the issue of being out of this country and seeing the bible, the pages of the bible flip when he was at the Pope's funeral. He has also talked about--"

Matthews: "What does that mean?"

Ryan: "It's a symbol. I don't know. He thought it was a symbol of god. You know, at a certain point the sun came out and he saw the pages of the Bible flip open. And he is basically saying look, that was a symbol. He started talking--"

Matthews: "A sign, you mean?"

Ryan: "A symbol, sign, whatever you want to call it. He has also talked about other issues. But he really has said that faith has helped him move through life, and he believes he is in the Oval Office for a purpose. He believes he's got a--"

I wish Matthews, the serial interrupter, would have let Ryan finish her thought. But what she did say was Twilight Zone enough.

The President of the United States thinks God is giving him a sign when he sees the pages of the Bible flip at Pope John Paul II's funeral.

The Pope's funeral was attended by the leaders of almost every nation in the world... but, the sun came out, and the pages of the Bible flipped and viola... God was sending a message to The Decider alone. Chilling.

We're used to the super-egos of our presidents and self-important Poo Bahs of all types. But we're not talking about ego here, we're talking about psychosis, delusions of grandeur and false beliefs.

Maybe The Decider isn't stupid after all.... is it possible instead that he's just unable to meet the challenges of his presidency? It would explain so many things that seem so.... weird.

His stubborn unwillingness to listen to counsel. His belief that he alone is The Decider, and that his decisions trump all. His messianic vision of a Western democracy in the Middle East, no matter the cost.

It has to be said.... are we being led, not just by an incompetent, but by a madman?