"W Stands for Women"

Yes, that's the actual title for a series of events aimed at women who support the president, from which I have to conclude that Bush/Cheney 04 has hired the guy who came up with the "Oklahoma is OK" motto for the Sooner State's license plates. (Bizarrely, the official Bush/Cheney campaign website calls it "a national grassroots effort," not the most natural way to describe something originating from and coordinated with the White House…) An event earlier this week trumpeted all that Bush has done for women, though they had to stretch a bit: Elizabeth Cheney resorts to pointing out that half of the Iraqis lately relieved of Saddam Hussein are women. They do get heavy cheers for noting the many highly-placed women in the administration, and one woman in back even yells out "Yeah Elaine [Chao]!" and "Yeah Condi!" and so on whenever one is mentioned. Also a little strange is the choice of speakers: While many of them are quite accomplished in their own right, they are all women known primarily for their relation to powerful men. Dubya's sister Doro Bush Koch, his mother Barbara, Liz and Lynne Cheney, and Jenna (who sits with them, presumably for decorative effect, but doesn't take the mic). The crowd's quite enthusiastic, though, many of them wearing spangled "W" brooches designed, I learn, by Patriotic Jewelry. One woman, whose last name is "Morrow" suggests that she'll continue wearing it even after the Dubya administration has ended: She'll just turn it upside down to form the initial "M" instead.