Philip Mangano is our nation's "Executive Director, Interagency Council on Homelessness," but it's more meaningful to call him the President's "homeless czar." And it looks to me like Boosh might have screwed up here and got himself someone who is neither inept nor mean.

Mangano has an intensity that you generally don't get in government types. He thinks it's possible to end chronic homelessness nationwide within ten years. He believes homelessness is a social evil, and compares the movement to end it to the abolitionist movement. He believes that "The only approach that will end homelessness is a non-regional, bipartisan, non-ideological, non-sectarian approach" He also says that to him, parties are irrelevant: "There's no D or R or I or G on this issue." In a short profile in today's Chronicle, he really can't be pegged as one of W's guys until the very last line:

"Then pray for me," he said [to the homeless couple he'd been chatting with]. "I'm trying to help you."

So we've got ourselves a religious man who — oh, hold on a moment. There's someone at the door.

/\/\/\/: [opens door] Yes?

Michael Newdow: Church and state! Church and state! Fucking church and state!

/\/\/\/: Michael Newdow, everybody — you know, the man Time called "America's least favorite atheist." What do you want, man?

Michael Newdow: This Bushie is trying to shove God down people's throats! He's government! State! He can't say "pray for me"!

/\/\/\/: Oh, come now, Michael. Perhaps he is just a spiritual man and he believes that if these people are in fact willing to pray for him, it will help him do good. He is trying to do good, you know. And if these people are atheists, I'm sure they can say to him, "Well, we don't pray, but we wish you good luck" or somesuch thing.

Michael Newdow: They ought to tell him to keep his God to himself!

/\/\/\/: I thought you might say that. You're not just an atheist, man. You look down on anyone who isn't an atheist, anyone who takes that "God stuff" seriously. You're a Shrill Jerk Atheist. This is why you are going to lose at the Supreme Court. 6-3 or worse. Which is a bummer, because on the Pledge thing, you're probably right. And maybe the coins, too. But you're going to blow it for your cause. Good night. [He shuts the door and kills the porch light. He retires to his room. He finds the sacred stillness within. He senses God in everything.]