Our assumption that Jessica Simpson spends the majority of her down time pointing and laughing at unflattering tabloid photos of a chunky, acne-beset Britney Spears turns out to be at least partially off-base: Simpson has been keeping busy visiting the capital in support of her pet charity cause, Operation Smile, which offers free plastic surgery to overseas children with facial deformities. Even more amazingly, Simpson managed to do what Robert Redford and Tina Turner could not: turn down an audience with the President.

People close to Simpson said she declined a request to appear that same evening at the gala fund-raiser of the National Republican Congressional Committee even after she was offered some private face time with Bush because Operation Smile is a non-partisan group, says the news service. [...]

"It's never been a problem for Bono," [NRCC spokesman Carl Forti] said, referring to the U2 star who has met regularly with leaders of all political leanings to promote such causes as Third World debt relief. "I find it hard to believe she would pass up an opportunity to lobby the president on behalf of Operation Smile."

Although Simpson's publicists insisted she never had planned to attend the fund-raiser, Forti said the actress initially accepted the NRCC invitation when it was extended on Tuesday night, only to change her mind the next evening.

Clearly, the NRCC has been spoiled by the likes of Bono, who would gladly show up to a Girl Scout bake sale if it meant a chance to talk about his favorite subjects, Third World debt and the fact that U2 is the "greatest band in the world." Now, please excuse us while we attend to the unsettling, alien emotions and accompanying hot flashes associated with our newly-developing respect for Jessica Simpson, whose teasingly insensitive on-again, off-again games are even more entertaining when played with President Bush than they were with Nick Lachey.

UPDATE: False alarm! Jessikins totally hearts Dubya! We know!

• Jessica Simpson Snubs President Bush [People.com]