Okay, anybody know what to make of this story? To wit, Newsweek says:

Does President Bush have it in for the press corps? Touring a Caterpillar factory in Peoria, Ill., the Commander in Chief got behind the wheel of a giant tractor and played chicken with a few wayward reporters. Wearing a pair of stylish safety glasses--at least more stylish than most safety glasses--Bush got a mini-tour of the factory before delivering remarks on the economy. "I would suggest moving back," Bush said as he climbed into the cab of a massive D-10 tractor. "I'm about to crank this sucker up." As the engine roared to life, White House staffers tried to steer the press corps to safety, but when the tractor lurched forward, they too were forced to scramble for safety."Get out of the way!" a news photographer yelled. "I think he might run us over!" said another. White House aides tried to herd the reporters the right way without getting run over themselves. Even the Secret Service got involved, as one agent began yelling at reporters to get clear of the tractor. Watching the chaos below, Bush looked out the tractor's window and laughed, steering the massive machine into the spot where most of the press corps had been positioned. The episode lasted about a minute, and Bush was still laughing when he pulled to a stop. He gave reporters a thumbs-up. "If you've never driven a D-10, it's the coolest experience," Bush said afterward. Yeah, almost as much fun as seeing your life flash before your eyes.

And yet...

The AP gives this rather jarring and circumspect description of Mister Shrub's Wild Ride:

Before he spoke, Mr. Bush stopped at the Sterling Family Restaurant to chat with customers having breakfast near a grill laden with steaming hash browns. He talked in a back room with small business owners before heading to tour the Caterpillar factory.

"I would suggest moving back. I'm about to crank this sucker up," Mr. Bush called from the cab of a yellow tractor. He started the motor. A puff of smoke belched from its stack, and the president steered it around the assembly line. "That was fun," he exclaimed as he got off.

Let me reiterate: this is not the fucking Onion. And this, a surreal description of the leader of the free world riding around like a 3-year old on the toy train at the mall in Christmastime, is the spin. I had my doubts about the Newsweek story, but then I saw the WaPo's take on it...

It may be that Bush chose to come here to indulge a male fantasy -- the chance to drive one of those dirt-digging tractors that seem to fascinate every young boy. At the end of his tour, he climbed aboard and plopped down at the controls.

"I would suggest moving back," he warned reporters. "I'm about to crank this sucker up."

The president cranked the sucker up, powered it forward 20 feet, then backed it into a turn and finally straightened it out. No reporters were hit. But Bush was delighted.

"Oh, yeah," he said with satisfaction as he climbed down.

"No reporters were hit..."? How cryptic is that? And did President Billy Madison say "That was fun!" or "Oh yeah!"?

Please tell me that this is just some hangover from that quarter-ounce shroom trip last night. I do recall mumbling about Bush and 9/11 for a while. But this is just too bizarre, even for these times.

And speaking of hangovers... well, do I really need to spell it out?