Kick away the ladder when you're at the top

Dubya, at today's news conference:

Q Mr. President, are you trying to send a message to the IRA by not inviting Gerry Adams and the other Northern Ireland politicians tomorrow?

THE PRESIDENT: I talked to Bertie Ahern about this and -- at the EU, and he just asked who was coming to the events, which -- I said, you are, for certain.

No word on whether Bertie's sure invite was conditional on not wearing those trousers.