So I was watching ABC's World News as I ate dinner, as I do every night. In the entire 30-minute broadcast there was only one mention and one video clip of George W. Bush. This came 21 minutes and 55 seconds into the show, the last story of the next-to-last segment. He wasn't making any policy announcements or saying anything about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the state of the economy or what he will do about it, terrorism and national security, or even his biggest wish for making his tax cuts for the rich permanent. He was making a public appearance at a ceremony for the restored flag which flew over Fort McHenry in the War of 1812 that inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The President of the United States of America, the leader of the free world, no longer stars in his own show. He barely has a speaking role anymore.

Remember how Bill Clinton left eight years ago? You couldn't get his big head off the TV. After Bush took the oath, all the networks stayed with Big Bubba as he rode out to Andrews Air Force Base. Everyone from his administration was waiting in a big hangar for an extravagant going-away ceremony that was not part of any official rite and was privately funded. He inspected troops, but since he was no longer Commander-in-Chief I don't know what the point of that was. Then he made a big speech and got on the plane and flew to New York. The networks all had crews waiting for him there, and he made another speech there too. Somebody else was the Man of the Day, but it seemed like the press only cared about Mr. Bill.

Now, with 61 days left for that man, it looks like he doesn't care either.