How Bush Made His Secret Iraq Trip Happen

Democrats and Republicans and even Greens can all, I hope, appreciate that our President made his top secret trip to visit our demoralized troops in Iraq yesterday at high risk, for that special Thanksgiving meal.

Matt Drudge, who is becoming increasingly influential among media types, what with his web exclusives and that infamous K Street "non appearance (James Carville threatening to kick his invisible ass via his answering machine for naming Mary Matalin, his very dark wife, as a possible White House leaker to uber-grouch Washingtonian beltway insider Robert Novack)" -- anyway, Drudge gives us the meaty scoop with the help of the raw press pool notes of Washington Post reporter Mike Allen's on his site.

Drudge described the event, thus:

" General Sanchez said, 'God bless you for all of your sacrifices,' and hurriedly introduced Ambassador Bremer. Bremer said he had Thanksgiving greetings from the President. But then Bremer, hamming it up, looked toward stage left and said, 'Let's see if we've got anyone more senior here.' Then the President came out and the room erupted even before he reached the stage ..."

The account is very interesting. One of the most interesting passages from the notes comes from a quote from Communications Director Dan Bartlett , who told the Press on Air Force One:

"It is absolutely critical, when we land, that you do not open your windows. Particularly as we land and when we're on the ground, we want no light emanating from the plane. We will not be pulling up to a terminal ... We will be stopping at the end of the runway. It's just important that we move quickly, do not open up the windows to illuminate any light."