Dubya luvs ya, Raffy!

If you believe, so shall it be:

"Rafael Palmeiro is a friend. He testified in public and I believe him," Bush said in an interview with the Knight Ridder news service. "He's the kind of person that's going to stand up in front of the klieg lights and say he didn't use steroids, and I believe him. Still do."

That quote clears up just about everything vexing about President Bush. You see, if you're George's good buddy, he'll believe you -- no matter how damning or overwhelming the evidence to the contrary might be. No need, of course, to explain the disconnect between the policies of MLB and the word of Rafael Palmeiro. No qualification required to defend any "accidental" drug-taking. No, Rafael is as good as his word. And that's good enough for the Prez, by golly.

You and George used to be close pals, you say? Not to worry - he'll have your back 'cause Dubya is loyal to his friends, and that's just plain and simple enough for even a professional athlete to grasp, I'm sure.