Need some wood?

That was the best line in last night's debate. According to Kerry, Bush's claim that Kerry's tax plan would raise taxes on 900,000 small businesses was a distortion, because that claim loosely defines "small business owner" -- so loosely that, for claiming $84 income from a timber company he co-owns on his 2001 tax form, even Bush himself counts as a small business owner. Bush's response:

BUSH: I own a timber company?

(LAUGHTER)

That's news to me.

(LAUGHTER)

Need some wood?

(LAUGHTER)

I gotta say, it was pretty funny. Unfortunately, the Dems won't be able to get much mileage out of this one. What Kerry said was fundamentally correct: by the standards of the Bush claim, Bush himself counts as a small business owner for claiming $84 from a business he co-owns.

Unfortunately, Kerry's likely (and ironic) source, factcheck.whatever, made a mistake when it described the company, Lone Star Trust, as a timber-growing enterprise. It is in fact an oil-and-gas concern. So, the Dems can't use the "Need some wood?" soundbite, alas.