Transamerica

(Washington)...In recent months, McClellan had told people he enjoyed his job and wanted to stay for the long term. He said Wednesday he started to think about leaving in the past few weeks and concluded, with a new chief of staff, that it was a good time to go. He and Bush came to a decision in a meeting Monday in the Oval Office.

"I have given it my all, sir, and I have given you my all, sir, and I will continue to do so as we transition to a new press secretary," McClellan said.

"It's going to be hard to replace Scott," Bush said. "But, nevertheless, he's made the decision and I accept it. ... Job well done."

Bush patted McClellan on the back and they walked together across the South Lawn to the president's helicopter to begin a trip to Alabama. But the aircraft couldn't get off the ground because its radio failed, and they had to take a motorcade.

Heroes of Decorumclasty

Without betraying any confidences (I believe and hope), I can relate that the parents of a twenty-five year old son left his suicide note on display for the assembled mourners to read at his funeral service last week. I didn't know the young man, he was the older brother of one of the best friends of one of my best friends (I don't even know the friend once-removed). The parents' main motivation appears to have been to instruct their son's peers that the financial ruin (by way of gambling) their son found himself in, and which he took to be so shameful and insurmountable that he told no one about it, could have been surmounted and the shame lived through if he'd only come to them and asked for their help.

I've been wondering at the grace and daring of these parents for a week, just admiring their honesty and their brave invention in every spare moment.