From Holden:

When is a timeline not a timeline? When Pony Blow says it’s not.

Q Tony, you had Democrats over the weekend — Senator Kerry, Senator Boxer — saying that even the framework of a plan would kind of fly in the face of Republican the Democrats want to cut and run. Do you have any response to that? I mean, the President, himself, has implied it, Rove has said it outright.

MR. SNOW: There’s still a pretty significant difference between what Senator Kerry or even Senator Levin had proposed, and what General Casey is talking about, simply because one is driven by a calendar and the other is driven by events on the ground. So there is a significant difference.

Q But doesn’t General Casey — like, part one of his plan has a significant number of troops, two combat brigades, coming out in September. Doesn’t that give the enemy —

MR. SNOW: Well, actually, he has one, and it — you know, again, this is not, I believe the way, at least it was reported, is you’ve got two brigades by the end of the year, September being short of the end of the year. But I may be misreading it. In any event, you’ve got to keep in mind that this is not a statement of policy. Again, General Casey keeps in mind a number of scenarios. You’re talking about scenarios here.

I don’t know how they kept him in the White House.

Q What about the tree?

MR. SNOW: What about what?

Q The tree, was it hit by lightning, or —

MR. SNOW: Oh, my goodness.

Q That’s a big question.

[snip]

Q Wouldn’t Mr. Bush like to do a little brush clearing? You know — I mean he hasn’t done that — (laughter.)

Q That is cute.