Keeping it simple

In what looks like a pre-emptive attempt to package George Bush as a details man, his speechwriters have given some insights into his methodology for Wednesday's Wall Street Journal (subs' req'd) --

Mr. McGurn [lead speechwriter] says the president uses the "track changes" feature in Microsoft Word software to compare drafts of each address and ensure that the speechwriters are following his directions. Mr. Bush took a class on American oratory during his undergraduate years at Yale, and Mr. McGurn says the president is quick to point out perceived weaknesses in the drafts of his speeches.

Remember this is the man who doesn't use e-mail and refers to using "the Google," but it's always possible that he's directed all his computer skills into Word. Unfortunately it's unlikely that the iterations of these speeches will be preserved for historians to see.