Comfort-Zoned - Newsweek Politics - MSNBC.com

Bush wasn’t looking for laughs when he focused on Idaho as a travel destination. Idaho has sent more National Guardsmen to Iraq than any other state; it is also one of the most reliably red regions in the country. With his mountain bike safely aboard Air Force One, Bush could leave Texas and still feel secure. It’s the nature of this brash and impetuous president that when it comes to words, he’s a big shot, but he ducks any situation where he might have to face anyone hostile to him or his policies. In Idaho, Bush could head straight to his comfort zone, an audience of rock-solid Republicans with potential dissenters screened out. This is a president who has refused to reach out to opponents in any way, and he’s paying a political price for it.