Damsel Dowd in distress! President Bush to the rescue! During Bush's eight-day trip to the Middle East, the titian-topped Times columnist caught a doozy of a stomach bug and was rescued by the White House, who gave Dowd access to Dubya's doctor and a ride home on Air Force One. Awww. Frankly, we're surprised the administration let MoDo anywhere near a Bush itinerary, let alone an invitation to come along. Interesting little side note? The Washington Post reports that news organizations could pay more than $20,000 per journalist along on the journey. [WP]