Support the idea of the troops

The Carpetbagger Report, uh, reports on an unusually candid message from the chair of Bush's inagural committee:

NYT: As an alternative way of honoring them, did you or the president ever discuss canceling the nine balls and using the $40 million inaugural budget to purchase better equipment for the troops?

Phillips: I think we felt like we would have a traditional set of events and we would focus on honoring the people who are serving our country right now -- not just the people in the armed forces, but also the community volunteers, the firemen, the policemen, the teachers, the people who serve at, you know, the -- well, it's called the StewPot in Dallas, people who work with the homeless.

NYT: How do any of them benefit from the inaugural balls?

Phillips: I'm not sure that they do benefit from them.

NYT: Then how, exactly, are you honoring them?

Phillips: Honoring service is what our theme is about

Nice.