Kissinger & Bush: Bad Blood, Poor Vision

SPIN DOCTOR Kissinger As Saddam Hussein well knows, the Bush clan holds its grudges. But have they finally buried the hatchet with Henry Kissigner? Bob Woodward's revelation that the gravel-voiced former secretary of state has been regularly advising President Bush and Dick Cheney on the Iraq war raised eyebrows among fans of the Nixon White House tapes, which feature Kissinger slamming Tricky Dick's idea to send George Bush Sr. to China in '71.

Not that the feeling wasn't mutual: In Bush's 1987 memoir, Looking Forward, Kissinger is one of the only people criticized by name.

The notion of the White House seeking his counsel is even more surprising in light of Kissinger's deteriorating health, says the source. The good doctor is all but blind in one eye, and has developed a tendency to fall asleep during meetings. "It's truly amazing that they'd would want anything from the old man except a pro-war sound bite," the source snipes.

A spokesman for Kissinger did not return calls or e-mails for comment.