The view from the center

The economist's weekly U.S. report takes the opportunity to pat Bush on the back for last week's positive NAEP results.

The column highlights Bush's stance as a "new kind of conservative" when it comes to education:

From the Goldwater revolution onwards, American conservatives defined themselves by their hostility to government. They were particularly keen on closing down the Department of Education. But Mr Bush argued that active government was quite compatible with conservative principles, provided that it was active government guided by sensible values and disciplined by internal and external competition.

Meanwhile, Senator Clinton is busy positioning herself as a new kind of Democrat (or rather, "reinforcing" that position). And when it comes to education, that position doesn't end up looking much different from Bush's.