Reading The Pictures: <em>Laura Bush Makes History</em>

Of course, you heard Laura Bush "made history" this week, right? Yes, fast on the heels of Dubya's cameo on a game show, she became the first First Lady to host the Today Show.

With the country sliding by virtually every measure, the Bushes are now resorting to the most cynical and patronizing misdirection play at their disposal, which is to throw every bit of emphasis they can into their celebrity status.

Really though, what this screen shot documents is the logical outcome of an incest that's been going on between the Bush's and the media for years. Whereas up to now, the White House has been overly-dependent on media actors to deliver their talking points (while ensuring the masses remain otherwise anesthetized), the process has finally come full circle.

Of course, Karl's at Newsweek now, Kristol's at The Times, and Snow is embedding at CNN. But in making an audience out of Ann and Matt, host and infotainment personality Laura Bush actually demonstrates how the White House can cut out the middle man.

First lady Laura Bush makes television history (Lotta video here if you can stand it - TODAY/MSNBC)

(screen shot: TODAY. April. 22, 2008. msnbc.msn.com)