These two comments were made on Monday about President Barack Obama's planned speech to the nation's schoolchildren, which has become the subject of inexplicable controversy:

1. "There's a place for the president of the United States to talk to schoolchildren and encourage schoolchildren" to stay in school.

2. "It's ... really important for everyone to respect the president of the United States."

And who made these comments, you ask?
Obama himself?
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel?
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs?

No, on all three counts.

It was former first lady Laura Bush.

Thank you, Mrs. Bush, on behalf of civil people everywhere.

Now if only you could convince people in your own party - and the loudmouths on Fox News and right-wing radio shows - to not oppose everything Obama does simply because he's a Democrat.