THE CEREMONIAL BUSHES

Poignant. Big-time. Losing hope in Louisiana.

But Laura and George were seen hammering a few nails on a Habitat for Humanity house, so they've done their part. So what if the big reconstruction plan Americans were expecting after Dubya's big speech in Jackson Square hasn't materialized? That's not his job. His job is to make speeches and pose for photo ops -- it's up to Congress to actually DO something.

Sounds sort of like the British Royal Family, doesn't it?