Monday, Apr. 12, 2004

Sleeper Hit

By Rebecca Winters

Forget gas prices and the war. A drowsy 13-year-old is the campaign story consuming the Beltway. A Late Show with David Letterman segment called "George W. Bush Invigorates America's Youth," which aired last week, showed TYLER CROTTY, the son of a Bush donor, fidgeting, yawning and checking his watch as the President gave a lengthy speech in Orlando, Fla., last month. CNN reported--incorrectly--that the White House claimed Crotty had been edited into the video. Letterman denied the tape was doctored, CNN apologized, and the White House (which apparently hasn't enough to do) helped put Crotty on the show. He proved to be a good Bushie after all, saying he was too excited about seeing the President to get much sleep the night before the speech.