Hard Core: The New York Times carries the following remarkable headline: "Bush Works to Solidify Base With a Defense of Rumsfeld."

Talk about a solidified base! Boil it down to people who still love Rummy and the image that comes to mind is that of a pot left accidentally on a burner, leaving only a strange, ugly clump. "You'll never pry me loose," it says. "I'm your base."

But is such a base really solid enough? Maybe Bush should also add in another, more rigorous test of devotion. How about he argues for a law saying that, on Fridays, everyone must wear blue shorts and jab pencils in their eyes? Sure, he'd lose a few more supporters, but no one wants doubting, fair-weather friends anyway. I suggest Bush try pare his supporters down to just a handful of people--now that would be a really solidified base.