THAT Bruce Bartlett?

The fellow on the left in the picture on the right is the conservative economist, activist and commentator, Bruce Bartlett. He's apparently written a book entitled Impostor : How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy.

Byron York reports that Salon was today promoting Bruce & his book (and showing heretofore unrevealed solicitude for Mr. Reagan):

Join Salon Premium today and receive a free copy of Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy.

In this new expose, conservative economist Bruce Bartlett depicts a White House obsessed with secrecy and terrified of upsetting the boss with bad news.

Fired from a think tank for diverging from the party line, Bartlett writes that "Bush is more like Richard Nixon -- a man who used the right to pursue his agenda, but was never really part of it. In short, he is an impostor..."

I've emphasized the "Fired from a think tank" line above because . . .
. . . well . . .
. . . I don't know quite how to say this . . .
. . . so I'll just come right out with it:

I fired Bruce Bartlett myself, once upon a time.

I don't think we need to go into it too deeply. It was about 1971. Bruce was a Freshman or Sophomore at Rutgers College, and held an important position with a large student organization. I was the head of the organization. I fired him.

I suppose it's possible that this time he didn't deserve it.

It really is a small world, no?