President Bush’s supporters were out in full force during a visit to my town earlier this week. Like all Presidential appearances this one was carefully staged, but someone forgot to tell the local paper it is forbidden to report this:

Although Bush seemed folksy and empathetic during yesterday’s appearance, the program was carefully scripted and rehearsed. Linda Detring, vice president for operations for Lutheran Senior Services, was one of six people who participated on the stage during the give-and-take with the president.

Detring said she had several meetings and telephone conversations with White House representatives about her role. After that, she said, there were two rehearsals, one the night before the event and the second yesterday morning.

“There was a White House representative there who pretended to be the president, and we told our story,” Detring said.

The President’s plummeting approval ratings? According to one supporter, “Bush has had more to deal with than most presidents, perhaps as many problems as Franklin Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln.” Well, yes, I can see the parallels.