Crowd Likes Bush - Times In Disbelief  "Softball Season" for
Bush, whines the Times, after the president appears before a
friendly crowd: "...some onetime allies voice worry about the
White House creating the impression that he is cloistered,
hearing only supportive voices."  Times' reporters can'tstand it
when President Bush actually has the nerve to speak in front of
supportive crowds, and neither did the headline writer to Jim
Rutenberg's Thursday story, "Outing Finds Bush in the Thick of
Softball Season." The text box reads: "In a challenging time,
the president turns to a friendly audience."  That "friendly
audience" would be the Associated General Contractors of
America. Reporter Rutenberg, as if in disbelief, quoted chapter
and verse the often-religious, positive bent of some of the
audience questions to Bush.  "President Bush did not leave
Washington on Wednesday. But for at least two hours he was
transported to a different world, away from inquiries involving
the credibility of top aides and question