President Bush has been uncharacteristically quiet on the subject of an embarrassing incident involving the Secret Service, which has yet to receive a public attaboy similar to those he gave Michael Brown and Donald Rumsfeld. The reason, perhaps, is that this time, the failure struck close to home. The Guardian writes (November 23):

The US secret service are supposed to take a bullet for those they protect. Just don't expect them to put themselves out for a handbag.

Being surrounded by a phalanx of agents with wires sprouting from their ears did not save Barbara Bush, the president's 24-year-old daughter, from having her bag and mobile phone stolen at a Buenos Aires restaurant, according to an ABC News report yesterday.