The political panel was comprised of Brooks, Friedman and Dowd — all from the New York Times and all with “very different views,” according to Russert. Well, different views, sure. But “very different” is a bit of a stretch, at least when comparing Dowd and Friedman. And even Brooks was in full flower as a compassionate conservative.

Anyway, Brooks and Friedman were edifying to one extent or another, but Dowd once again seemed to revel in her unseriousness. My favorite moment was when Russert asked Dowd to imagine Karl Rove asking her to give him advice about what the President should do now. Her response? Bush (though she used the term “the Bushes”) needs to realize that he’s a Daddy’s boy and that he’s spoiled and that until he comes to grips with that he’ll never be able to make progress. Progress, she seemed to suggest, was lavish government support for the poor.

One wonders what even a hypothetical Karl Rove is supposed to do with this advice. “Mr. President, you need to go on Oprah and apologize for your life, your existence and the entire universe of social relations which spawned you.”