Q: What's Your Favorite Subject? A: Recess.

Dear Mr. President,

You were recently asked what your best moment in office was. You said it was catching a fish. I realize you were talking to a German journalist so there may have been some language difficulties. But that still seems an odd answer.

I don't happen to agree with your decision to preemptively invade Iraq, but I figure the images of some Iraqis tearing down a statue of Saddam Hussein would be pretty good for you. Or how about Saddam being on trial? Or even if it's faltering, divided and missing many deadlines, there's at least the beginning of some kind of government in Iraq- isn't that something? I mean you've pretty much staked your reputation on how that turns out. I know you don't read newspapers but that's something you should know about.

Or how about your comeback in the 2004 election? Most everybody had you down for the count and you seemed to think you were on your way out. But you won; you don't have to read a newspaper to know that. And since you don't read papers or listen to polls it has to give you the impression that that was some kind of vindication of all your policies.

Those seem to be good moments. But catching a fish? That's weird.

But that's your prerogative. You can use any measure of greatness you'd like. But you should know, my greatest moment of your presidency is better than yours. I caught a prize-winning Sand Bass out of Long Beach. That was quite a day. I don't want to brag, but it was more, a lot more, than 7.5 pounds. But that was from the ocean, not my own private lake. Still, a bigger fish is a bigger fish. By that objective, empirical measure your best moment isn't so great.

Also if you had picked something else, something like I mentioned above, people could debate and wrangle over the details, but ultimately you could leave it, as you like to say, for history to judge. I mean Kennedy averting nuclear war, LBJ signing Civil Rights legislation, Reagan challenging Gorbachev to tear down a wall, your dad liberating Kuwait, Clinton bringing about the Dayton Accords, illusory or not, they seem to stand out in history as great moments. And like or loathe the presidents, they are pretty good moments. But a fish?

Like I said, you get to define the best moment of your presidency however you like, but I think I should tell you, most Americans don't approve of the job you're doing. A lot of people, well most people, think we're on the wrong track. They think you're doing a bad job. That's probably not easy to read, but you should know. And if you say something like catching a fish was the best moment of your presidency it might make us think.. well, it might make us think you're crazy or that after 5 years you don't know what it means to be president.

I'm not a president. I'm just a student and sometimes a teacher so I could be way off base here. In either of those roles, if I thought I was going to be assessed as good or bad by a fish I caught, or if I thought my best moment as a student or teacher was tied to catching fish that would be nuts. If I thought that as a student or teacher I could offer fish as part of my work- even a prize winning bass- I would be laughed right out of school.

Maybe what you were thinking was something like, "The best moments of your presidency are those times when you can get away and relax- take your mind off of the responsibilities of your job- when you can just clear brush, ride your bike, and fish." You do like to get away, don't you. I understand that; with all I have to do, I like to get away, kick a ball around, or just play video games. Unfortunately, your job requires a lot of you. It may be more than you're used to or more work than you grew up expecting but thems the breaks.

Anyway take care. Don't worry too much, you've only got until '08, or, cross your fingers, maybe '06.

Sincerely,
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