There's a flaw in his speech

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- President Bush's bout with the English language continued Monday, when he offered a surprising explanation of what gynecologists might do with their patients if not for all those pesky malpractice lawsuits.

"Too many good docs are getting out of business," the president said. "Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country."

It's not clear what Bush meant to say, but it was presumed that he misspoke. The line came as he attacked his Democratic opponents for siding with trial lawyers against doctors in the battle over limiting lawsuits.

Bush has a well-known history of such gaffes and poked fun at his own verbal challenges during his speech last week at the Republican National Convention.

The love line followed another bit of odd phrasing two days earlier, during a Saturday speech at an Erie, Pa., football stadium. There, he explained his proposal last year to spend $87 billion on "armor and body parts and ammunition and fuel."

He did not intend to be so macabre.In that case, Bush simply flubbed his usual line, explaining that the money was intended for, among other things, body armor and spare parts.