Apparently Chris Mooney’s pleas have not been in vain: The New York Times finally picked up on the fact that Bush met with journalist novelist Michael Crichton — whereupon they, according to Fred Barnes, "talked for an hour and were in near-total agreement" about the vast liberal conspiracy that is global warming.

I highly doubt the story will get very far. The Republican establishment has mastered some sort of occult PR judo whereby they cast so many outrages at the public, so fast, that none of them can actually stick or pick up any momentum. Misbegotten wars, national security leaks, torture, domestic spying, Congressional corruption, consulting an author of fiction for advice on global warming … who can keep getting mad? Who can focus?