BRAGGING. I always like it when my wife brags on me. I figure, if anyone knows how I really am, it is she. If she knows that, and will still brag, then I must be doing well. It is also neat when your kid brags on you. Mine could never say "my dad can beat up your dad", so they had to resort to things like "my dad's read more books than your dad" and "my dad knows more Latin than yours". All the same, when those who know you best think you are doing well, it is worth a lot.

So, I'm touched by Laura Bush's brag on her husband at the convention. She said:

"He'll always tell you what he really thinks. You can count on him, especially in a crisis. His friends don't change -- and neither do his values. He has boundless energy and enthusiasm for his job, and for life itself. He treats every person he meets with dignity and respect; the same dignity and respect he has for the office he holds."