Bush Makes Call to Shi’ite Leader; Saddam Miffed

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - The White House withheld judgment on Friday on the latest proposal to break an impasse on an Iraq constitution despite an attempt by President Bush to move the process forward with a phone call to a top Iraqi Shiite leader.

Bush called Abdul-Aiz al-Hakim on Wednesday - Thursday in Iraq - to "discuss current developments," said White House spokesman Trent Duffy.

"It reflects ... that this is an Iraqi process and that the United States is here to help them," Duffy said.

The Armchair Politician caught up with deposed leader and former "mean guy" Saddam Hussein, who seemed shocked by the American president’s actions. "Why does Abdul-Aiz al-Hakim get a phone call?" he wondered aloud. "I never got a phone call. I got uninvited inspectors with smelly feet and an armed American invasion."

Hussein continued, "What gives? Why isn’t Bush threatening the Shi’ites with war? I would have loved a phone call. To be honest, I thought the Americans wanted me to build up my weapons supply. I thought it was a little game we were playing. I never meant any real harm. I think if George would have given me a call, I could have made that clear to him."