Nonnegotiable.

Josh Marshall's post on President Bush's press conference today, in which Bush, yet again, announced that he was not going to negotiate with himself, made me do some thinking. And so I marched into the living room and announced to Michael,

"I'm not gonna negotiate with myself. I'm gonna get an iPod."

"Fine, " he replied.

"I'm not gonna change my mind. I'm not gonna negotiate with myself."

"Fine. I have no objection to you getting an iPod." Understanding dawned. "No, see, for it to work, you need to announce you're going to do something that I don't want you to do."

"O.K., then... I'm gonna buy a Windows XP machine. Don't try to change my mind, I'm not gonna negotiate with myself..."

"NO! I don't want you to get a Windows XP machine!"

"I'm not gonna negotiate with myself!"

Maybe you had to be there. Wonder how arguments go down in the Bush household?