Jobless Laura Bush shows empathy for loose cannon heiress

This, amazingly enough, appears in Thursday's WaPo at the conclusion of an essay by staff writer Hanna Rosin, commenting on Theresa Heinz-Kerry's gaffe (since apologized for, ineptly) in characterizing First Lady Laura Bush as not ever having "had a real job" (boldface added):

Republicans have gotten sophisticated about feminism. Laura Bush does not stand up at "W Stands for Women" rallies and hand out her cookie recipes. She talks about how, in her husband's administration, "there are more women in senior positions than in any other presidential administration in history." She talks about how "across America, millions of women are raising families, working full time, going to college, starting their own businesses."

If you are in the audience in your business suit, she's speaking to you. If you're pushing the stroller, she's speaking to you. She's not Jackie O, and she's not Hillary. She's just a reflection of you.

So it's no surprise that yesterday she played the role of Melanie to Heinz Kerry's Scarlett.

"Mrs. Bush knows that some days are more difficult than others when your husband is running for president," said her spokesman Gordon Johndroe, "and she has a lot of empathy for her."

I'm not sure I buy the Scarlett O'Hara comparison — it's positively unfair to Scarlett, I think — but the part I've bolded above   absolutely sings to me (although presumably Ms. Rosin was writing about, and for, other women). 

As does Mrs. Bush's comment — made through a spokesman, but I'm sure with explicit advance directions and approval.  Laura Bush is far too classy to point the finger at THK and then turn to an audience to ask, "Do you want this loose cannon firing at random from the White House for the next four years?"  But then again, she doesn't need to point that out, does she?

What actually struck me as weird from the USA Today article in which THK's gaffe first appeared was the quotation in the caption for her picture there:

Heinz Kerry: 'I think what the American people really want is to make sure the companion to the president supports him.'

"Companion to the President"?  What, are we expecting Morgan Fairchild to show up at the White House to pick back up with her old fling?  Fer pete's sake, what's wrong with the word "wife"?  If she's going to be that politically correct, shouldn't she have said "spouse," and also said "him or her" instead of just "him" in referring to the President (assuming she was including all hypothetical future ones)?  I'm imagining the Marine Band during a Kerry Presidency, striking up "Ruffles and Flourishes" as the announcer solemnly intones, "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States and his POSSLQ."