Finally, someone has written a book exposing Bush's hypocrisy in dealing with evangelical Christians. David Kuo, in Tempting Faith, which goes on sale Monday, says Bush has played this base for suckers. His public glad- handing is offset by his private expressions of contempt and derision. Even though I'm not a member of that voting block, I have friends and family members who are, and the evidence that Kuo has compiled turns my stomach. There is nothing more dispicable than manipulating the faithful, whether it's a despotic pastor or president. If James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and Ted Haggard turn their followers against Bush, we might actually get the bastard impeached. They had to know, at some level, they were being played. Will they get the message or destroy the messenger? It will be interesting to see.

The messenger, in this case, is a conservative Christian who served in Bush's Faith-Based Initiative plan as its No. 2 leader. David Kuo made up-close and personal observations of this president's tactics that few others are in a position to see. His endorsers include Bill Bennett and John Ashcroft, so he's no outsider looking in, but a former insider who escaped the quicksand of sanctimony with a strong dose of truth to power. I just hope they accept this truth and that it sets them all free from the bondage of Bushlove, which looks a lot like idol-worship to some of us.

I could tell from Bush's press conference yesterday that he is becoming more frustrated by the moment by not being able to control the topic of conversation among Republicans. When he inadvertantly called Nancy Pelosi the Speaker of the House, I knew he was feeling defeated. He's dug himself a grave with all his fabrications, and yet, he keeps on digging. God help us!

George has posted new pictures of Cecil and his park on his website; thanks to Carol (Jean) Mitchell who sent them, and to her mother Ms. Chic for taking them. The Plantersville Connection got recognized at the Methodist Church last Sunday, so it has attracted several new readers. I hope George finds that motherlode of pictures that Cecil had. Was it his 65th or 75th birthday when the community pooled our money and bought him a 35mm camera? My kids were small, so it must have been his 65th in 1973. There were some really good pictures that he made, and a lot of them, I remember that.