World

The Clinton campaign appears to be staffed by morons. To wit: Mark Penn: “Could we possibly have a nominee who hasn’t won any of the significant states — outside of Illinois?” Chief Strategist Mark Penn said. “That raises some serious questions about Sen. Obama.” Oh dear. This is so obviously absurd that it scarcely requires refutation. Still, it’s tiresome that so many people seem to think performance in a Democratic-primary is any indicator for likely performance in a November general election. Let me make a bold prediction however: if Barack Obama is the nominee he will win “significant” states such as New York and California. Meanwhile, the entertainment continues: But

The best argument against Barack Obama? Have we learned nothing from the tragic events of 1998, when, under the watch of President Morgan Freeman, this nation was plunged into chaos, and hundreds of millions of people died at the hands of the deadly Wolf-Beiderman space rock? The mere fact that this country is even considering putting another black man, Barack Obama, in the Oval Office proves that we have not. We can’t deny the facts, people. All we will get by electing an African-American is Texas-size space particles crashing into the Earth’s surface, mega-tsunamis that barrel into the Appalachian Mountains, and 6.6 billion dead people. I’m not suggesting that President

At last! A new TV “reality” show worth watching:                                                                                       Move over American Idol and make room for Rockstar Curling, a reality television show that may indeed have a rock-star connection. NBC confirmed yesterday it has an exclusive option to air a 10-episode sports reality show that will give the winners a shot at competing in the U.S. championships and even going to the 2010 Olympics. And one aspect that would make this a draw to the button for

Jonah Goldberg: One thing I would like to know is what it says about Matthew Dowd (a perfectly likable fellow) that he eagerly signed up to work for Bush but now thinks the man’s a moron. Makes you wonder about the guy’s judgment, to say the least. OK. I was, perhaps mistakenly, somewhat impressed by Bush when I covered the 2000 Republican convention in Philadelphia. In 2004 I could not stand the idea of John Kerry being on our TV screens every day for four (and it would only have been four) years so, faute de mieux, I suppose I was glad Bush won… But, really, is it not possible

Since the British press have been having all sorts of fun over the “snub”*  Gordon Brown thanks to a canceled meeting with John McCain it’s worth noting that press sillyness is not confined to the anglosphere by any means. Art Goldhammer has the details: Le Figaro has a perfidious piece on Ségolène Royal’s visit to the US. It leads with the insinuation that she was somehow snubbed by Barack Obama because she attended his rally without obtaining a picture of herself with the candidate. I said yesterday that I would not share my private impressions of Mme Royal, but in this case I will make an exception, because I had

Ross and Rod despair, quite naturally, over this poll asking American teenagers to name the “10 Most Famous Americans”. Presidents and First Ladies were excluded from the poll. It’s an illuminating view of how American history is taught these days. anyway, The results were: 1. Martin Luther King Jr.: 67% 2. Rosa Parks: 60% 3. Harriet Tubman: 44% 4. Susan B. Anthony: 34% 5.Benjamin Franklin: 29% 6. Amelia Earhart: 25% 7. Oprah Winfrey: 22% 8. Marilyn Monroe: 19% 9. Thomas Edison: 18% 10. Albert Einstein: 16% Interesting that only MLK and Rosa Parks received the endorsement of more than 50% of high school students. I suspect that most kids, however,

Have I mentioned that this (admittedly old) ghastliness is enough on its own to make me wish Democrats select Barack Obama rather than Hillary Clinton? Well, it’s enough to make me reach for my Browning anyway: Bill Clinton suggested during a TV appearance that, should his wife be elected president of the United States, he be referred to as the “first laddie.”Clinton jokingly suggested the moniker during an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” the Chicago Tribune reported Thursday.”My Scottish friends say I should be called ‘first laddie’ because it’s the closest thing to ‘first lady’,” he said.