The View from Thayne’s Corner
 Queens (the royal kind) and Gift Horses
    
    Citizens of the realm were treated this past week to a break in the news about a never-    ending war, an equally endless political campaign and people living nervously with one foot in the storm cellar.  The Queen of England came to dinner.
   By Bush standards this affair was especially elaborate.  Elizabeth looked very regal in tiara and royal blue sash.  George was elegant in tails (probably fresh from the cleaners to shed the moth ball smell).  In attendance also was the winning Kentucky Derby jockey, cleaned up nice with a gorgeous lady on his arm.  Noticeably missing was George’s crown.  But, just as well.  The line of descent ends in 2008 unless brother Jeb makes a late entry.                              You never know, though.  His administration has done almost everything short of a presidential directive to establish a monarchy.  That might be a good move.  In time of emergency, like the current World War III struggle against universal terrorism, democratic, foot-dragging legislatures are terrible slow in delivering necessary decisions.  Such times require a strong, unhindered decider-in-chief.
   If George could just do something about the price of gas we could all forget about the war and take a long vacation this summer.  Instead we probably will be stuck at home listening to the news of suicide bombers and the election marathon.  There’s always baseball, but the Royals are in their usual slump.  Ho, Hum!!
   There is some good news, however.  As one prominent presidential candidate has pointed out:  “It takes a village.”  In this case it took the disappearance of a village for the president to locate Kansas, which lies west of Baghdad (or east, depending on your point of departure).  He has made an on-the-ground appearance at the scene of the disaster, which was once Greensburg, Kansas.
    At this point in the first write-up-for this column, which I had already submitted for publication, I realized after watching the televised report of the president’s visit last Wednesday, I had to rephrase my comments to avoid eating my words later.  Originally I had suggested his visit might simply be to make amends for Katrina, or a brief photo op, but cautioning that we shouldn’t examine a gift horse too closely.
    As it turned out the gift horse had pretty good teeth.  His stay was much longer, and although the weather at first seemed uncooperative for decent photography, local people were given the opportunity to meet the president and take personal photos.  It seemed clear the president was more in his element in Greensburg than at state dinners for queens.
    Obviously this was his chance to make amends for Katrina mistakes.  He has undoubtedly learned the value of close communication with the people after such natural disasters.  But Katrina was a situation with damage of a different sort and more widespread than Greensburg.  The logistics of placing the president on the ground in New Orleans was more complicated and risky.
    An extensive visit from the nation’s chief executive, and personal attention to their problems, has to be comforting to the people of Greensburg and hopefully a real shot in the arm as they face the mountain of work necessary to rebuild.  People of Kansas can thank President Bush for that.
  I stand castigated for my acerbic thoughts and will make no further political comment.