At least one politician has the huevos to tell it like it is:


President Bush (news - web sites) on Monday personally condemned the Malaysian prime minister for his statement that Jews rule the world, pulling Mahathir Mohamad aside at an international economic meeting to tell him the remarks were "wrong and divisive," Bush's spokesman said.


White House press secretary Scott McClellan quoted Bush as telling the Malaysian leader, "It stands squarely against what I believe in."


Bush confronted Mahathir between meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (news - web sites) summit, McClellan said, inserting himself into a simmering controversy.


Earlier Monday, Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites), signaled Bush's disapproval as he sat down in the same room with Mahathir and 19 other leaders. It is the last of the annual forums that Mahathir will attend before retiring Oct. 31 after 22 years in power.

That, my friends, is the diplomatic equivalent of a roundhouse to the mouth. Good.