Dubya has mainly been writing a book in crayon since leaving the Oval Office, with his tongue stuck out to help him concentrate. But, perhaps upset that Michael Steele is the only person regularly gaffe-ing, he's back and giving speeches!

He clearly thought he'd play to his strengths in retirement: he's always been good with the words. So yesterday evening he addressed 15,000 people in Fort Worth, Texas (at a seminar shoutily titled GETMOTIVATED!) in his new guise as motivational-speaker-in-chief.

"I don't see how you can be president without relying on the Almighty," he said, referring perhaps to Dick Cheney. "I can tell you that one of the most amazing surprises of the presidency was the fact that people's prayers affected me. I can't prove it to you. But I can tell you some days were great, some days not so great. But every day was joyous." (Even this one?)

It marks a return to the spotlight for Bush, and he likes it, says the Washington Post. He's giving another speech in San Antonio next month, and has "quite a few speeches planned" in fall, according to former Presidential adviser Karen Hughes.

"He is just a normal guy!" a salesman called Patrick Kruger who was in the crowd told the Post, referring to the multimillionaire scion of a privileged and powerful family. "He wasn't the best speaker. But I was happy to see him!"

Number 43 has joined the Washington Speakers' Bureau, so we have many more of these to look forward to. I, for one, am glad to see the comic relief back on stage after nearly a year of almost completely unamusing serious politicians.