Was I imagining it, or was Russert growing visibly annoyed by the second half of the show (here's the transcript)?

I would be, considering the Unelected One refused to answer the vast majority of questions. Russert actually asked some decent questions (although nothing about L'affaire Plame), but each response was a monologue of confused briefing points, punctuated by frequent references to "war."

But amid all of the half-truths, evasions and briefing points, here's my personal fav -- a testimony to the continued naivete of this administration (or at least to the effectiveness of the dazzling bedtime stories Dick and Rummy spin for him each night before the warm milk and prayers):

Russert: If the Iraqis choose, however, an Islamic extremist regime, would you accept that, and would that be better for the United States than Saddam Hussein?

President Bush: They're not going to develop that.  And the reason I can say that is because I'm very aware of this basic law they're writing.  They're not going to develop that because right here in the Oval Office I sat down with Mr. Pachachi and Chalabi and al Hakim, [emphasis added] people from different parts of the country that have made the firm commitment, that they want a constitution eventually written that recognizes minority rights and freedom of religion.

I remember speaking to Mr. al Hakim here, who is a fellow who has lost 63 family members during the Saddam reign.  His brother was one of the people that was assassinated early on in this past year.  I expected to see a very bitter person.  If 63 members of your family had been killed by a group of people, you would be a little bitter.  He obviously was concerned, but he  I said, you know, I'm a Methodist, what are my chances of success in your country and your vision?  And he said, it's going to be a free society where you can worship freely.  This is a Shiia fellow.

And my only point to you is these people are committed to a pluralistic society.  And it's not going to be easy.  The road to democracy is bumpy.  It's bumpy particularly because these are folks that have been terrorized, tortured, brutalized by Saddam Hussein.

Don't know about you, but I certainly am reassured that Methodists will be safe in Iraq. Others may not be so likely.

But when is someone going to tell Ol' Five-to-Four that Chalabi is not leading any Iraqis anywhere. He's irrelevant without U.S. muscle. Have we asked this man what he thinks?

And no questions about Pakistan, either, a nation for whom we have nothing but praise.

I'll be curious to see the "reviews," but I'd rank it a pretty unconvincing performance. But it was a window on the emerging themes of the Bush/Cheney reelection campaign.