In this corner, weighing 8 years on the conscience of the United States, former governor of Texas, poor speller but straight-talker, friend to fossil fuel industries everywhere and favorite of the military-industrial complex, the peerless, the infamous... George Dubya Bush!  Ladies and Gentlemen!

And in this corner, weighing in at just over 200 days in office, former Illinois congressman, champion of change and hope, friend to universal health care, gay rights, climate change policy action and a host of other causes dear to the hearts of liberal america- President Barack... Obama!

It's actually been months since we heard anything from George Bush- not that any former president has been incredible vocal in politics after leaving office, but it is surprising after how vigorously dedicated Bush was to his business- and by business I mean policies. And by policies I mean running the country by pretty much doing whatever he damn well felt like.

Now, in a lot of ways Obama is pretty well doing whatever he damn well feels like right now too, so I think that just gets chalked up to being president.

Bush has come out this week with a general "I think Obama is doing a crappy job" kind of speech. His main disagreements rest on his belief that the private sector is the key to economic growth, not government intervention- though he does take credit for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the legislative name for the bank bailout. In fact, Bush pretty much takes credit for saving the country from another Great Depression. Um, thanks, George.

But what round 1 is really about is interrogation techniques. Bush says waterboarding and other "harsh techniques" are fine. Closing Guantanamo Bay was/is a bad idea.

Bush also rejected the idea of "nationalizing" health care, criticizing the "public option" approach that Obama has made a pillar of his push to reform the system.

The White House had no comment to anything Bush had to say (and they shouldn't). They also should not respond to anything Dick Cheney, who has been far more vocal in his opposition to the policies and person of Barack Obama, has to say.

The Republican spokespeople- Cheney, Palin, Limbaugh... oh, god. It has not been a good year or three for the GOP. Well, the Republican spokespeople are not doing a stellar job of presenting any kind of realistic opposition to the Obama White House- not on a consistent basis.

So in a strange way, it's kind of nice to have Bush come out of the Texas shadows, disagree with the current president on some policy issues, and then head back to Texas for another hunting trip.

Obama, for his part, is not engaging any of the attacks from the Right, which is so far a very effective aikido-style approach that lets the GOP keep shooting itself in the foot and pour salt into the gunshot wound and then trip over it while trying to lick it and then fall in the mud.

So to speak.

Obama vs. Bush: Round 1. Points for both sides- I'm going to give it to Bush, though. Obama is still winning the overall everything, but Bush got some good, well-timed punches in on the guy.