At a time when Americans need strong leadership and bold action, President Bush offered tired nostrums and bureaucratic half-measures.

No surprise there.

There are a variety of credible ways to construct the job, whether in the cabinet or not, but what Mr. Bush proposed is not one of them. His intelligence director would be in the worst of all worlds: cut out of the president's inner circle and lacking any real power.

We don't care who gets credit. Just get the job done right.

Damn straight.