LONDON -- When the legendary New York Yankees manager Casey Stengel left the dugout for the pitcher's mound, there was only one question. Would he stick with his pitcher or signal to the bullpen for a reliever? Sometimes there was a brief discussion and Casey would walk back to the dugout. Often, however, his right hand went up and relief was soon on the way. The only remaining question was whether he would go with a left-hander or a right-hander? That depended on the opposing lineup.

Sports often serves as a metaphor for politics in America, and at times like these it's easy to understand why. While there's no manager or "philosopher king" to decide whether relief is needed in the White House -- since Americans don't live in Plato's Republic -- the people will have to make the choice themselves.

Right now, the American people are taking a hard look at their commander in chief, who, coincidentally, once owned a baseball team himself in Houston, and they don't particularly like what they see. Not that President George W. Bush isn't a chummy sort, but they are concerned about his judgment and that of the team he has assembled. Are they up to the job? Did Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld know what was going on in his own department?