Media-Whore's D'Oevres



(image via chappelletheory)

"Green Day-loving CNN WH reporter Ed Henry caught up with Dave Chappelle this morning, at the WH. 'I asked what he was doing in Washington. 'I’m just taking a stroll from Georgetown to the Hill,' he said, reminding me that he hails from Washington, his time in the city being one of the funnier riffs on his show." (Politico)

"ITALIAN designer Marco Zanini - the head designer of womenswear, ready-to-wear and haute couture at Versace - has been named as the creative director who will oversee the resurrection of classic US label Halston, which was bought by movie mogul Harvey Weinstein last year. Zanini will relocate from Milan to New York for the position and will work closely with Tamara Mellon, who is on Halston's board, and Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe - who is on the creative advisory team - to reinterpret Halston's Studio-54 glamour for the 21st century." (DailyVogue)

"Just as both western and domestic support for his absolute rule waned, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf pulled off a political coup by sending his military into Islamabad’s Red Mosque to crack down on Taliban-linked militias. Mosque leader Maulana Abdul Aziz was arrested yesterday as he attempted to escape, following a raging shootout that left twelve dead. Aziz’s brother Ghazi Abdul Rashid, currently in control of the mosque, has offered to surrender to authorities. The militants’ apparent capitulation marks a huge victory for Musharraf, who had been weakened by domestic tensions and a perception that he could not eradicate fundamentalists. The siege of the rebel mosque clearly burnishes Musharraf’s anti-terrorist credentials and once more sets him on solid footing in Washington. Less obvious but no less important is the positive impact of the raid on Musharraf’s image at home. While the siege was neither decisive nor timely - Musharraf had withheld the attack for weeks for fear of an Islamist backlash - it proved his authority to a skeptical public and genuinely helped many Islamabad residents." (HarvardInternationalReview)

Marie Claire EIC Joanna Coles: "(The New Supermodels) just aren’t as interesting as the classic ones"



(image via hearstcorp)

We are something of a connoisseur of the supermodel, but not, we think, in the creepy sense. As Vladimir Nabokov wrote in "Ode to a Model," "Ballerina, black-masked/ near a parapet of alabaster./
'Can one -- somebody asked --/ rhyme ‘star’ and ‘disaster’?'" (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment) And so when we read the names Helena Christensen and Iman, well, you know. And then, of course, there is Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles kind of dissing the new crop of mannequins (She's right, Giselle Bundchen is no Bev Johnson). From Fashionweekdaily:

"Helena Christensen, who photographed a few of her supermodel friends for the August issue of Marie Claire, was fêted Wednesday by the magazine with a cocktail party and auction of the statuesque brunette’s images at Milk Gallery. Guests, including Chanel Iman, Leif Sigerson, Leslie Fremar, Mazdack Rassi, Amy Sacco, and Sean Penn, who arrived early to pay his respects before darting out, also had the opportunity to bid on a retrospective of 25 years of photos from past Guess campaigns.

"Proceeds from the sale of each photo benefited the charity of the model’s choosing. The sale of Christensen’s self portrait will be donated to the Chernobyl Children’s Project ... Marie Claire editor in chief Joanna Coles, despite some recent riveting news of senior staff departures, was nevertheless nothing less than thrilled with how the spread turned out ... Coles marveled at the mix of inner and outer beauty. 'Irina Lazareanu built a school for girls in Haiti and Sophie Dahl flew herself in from London for the shoot,' she said. 'All this talk about the new supermodels is silly; those girls just aren’t as interesting as the classic ones.'"

Resolved: Leg Luggage Is "In"



(image via statenews)

Being "ankled," or, festooned with leg luggage, has finally arrived. It is testament to one's essential badness and a nod to the powers of Western technology ("That think can sense when you take a shot of Beefeater?")that this sensible alternative to prison is the favored piece of jewelry to the stars. It wouldn't surprise us a bit if Jacob the Jeweler blinged one of those fuckers out. Good old Lindsay Lohan, just out of rehab and scoring "X," but still putting out the bullshit that she's clean and sober. From our favorite superhero gossip duo, Rush and Molloy:

"Lindsay Lohan modeled a new piece of chunky jewelry in Beverly Hills yesterday: her alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet. On a stroll to her hairdresser, the camera-ready starlet sported cutoff shorts, tan gams and supposed sobriety. While some celebs - including comedian and DUI suspect Tracy Morgan - have been ordered by the law to don an ankle attachment, Lohan's alien accessory is strictly optional. As long as she's got the leg luggage, La Lohan can party like she did in Vegas last weekend without any 'questions about her sobriety,' says her rep."

So long, we suppose, as one has the "X" option, who the fuck needs a drink.

Separated at Birth?



Emmy nominated and bookishly hot writer/actress Tina Fey? (image via dtman)



--And Republican nominated bookishly hot Alaska Governor Sarah Palin? (image via spokesmanreview)

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



(image via style)

"Revelers spilled out into Mercer Street at Phillip Lim's store opening party on Tuesday night. The new boutique's air-conditioning was having trouble keeping pace with the capacity crowd, which included Coach's Reed Krakoff, Vogue's Anna Wintour, Barneys' Howard Socol, and fellow designers like Sue Stemp, Subversive's Justin Giunta, and David Neville and Marcus Wainwright of Rag & Bone—not to mention a clutch of celebrities in Lim's Fall line. 'I love that his clothes are so effortless and simultaneously so chic and couture,' said Debra Messing, who looked like she could've been preparing for her role in the remake of George Cukor's 1939 film The Women in Lim's crystal-studded turban ... And no expense was spared, either, on the Veuve Clicquot bubbly. Five of the house's signature champagnes accompanied the meal, during which John Legend regaled his tablemates with tales of his recent tour of South Africa, Nigeria, and Europe. Asked why he was at the party, the crooner said, 'I like to dress well, why else?'" (Style)

"Hillary Clinton once again edged out Barack Obama in entertainment industry fund-raising in the second quarter, with the two candidates holding a commanding lead in the race to draw Hollywood donors. According to preliminary figures compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, Clinton collected $753,790 from donors in the industry to Obama's $617,388. The numbers cover the period from April 1 to June 30. The margin of difference between the two candidates was nearly identical to the first quarter. Even though Clinton's campaign got a boost in June from the high-profile endorsement of Steven Spielberg, the figures show that Obama continues to enjoy significant industry support. As a generalization, Clinton has been drawing a sizeable share of what could be called the industry's established, politically active class, like Spielberg and Haim Saban, while Obama has attracted progressives and newer donors from Hollywood's creative community, like Will Smith and Chris Rock." (Variety)

"I asked our interns to make a list of who’s been spotted here in Southampton…. Felicity Huffman buying vintage Chanel bags at Collette. Joy Behar and Kim Porter buying dresses, individually, at Biba. Richard Gere purchasing an American flag at Privet Cove ... Kelsey Grammar also went to Follow Your Art to decorate bowls with his family ..Dakota Fanning at Splash of Pink." (DanHamptons)

" The internet, as an inclusive mechanism, has effectively provided the means through which leaders are now able to incorporate and engage with geographically disbursed individuals in the movement's operations. Compelled by the need to reach a broader resource pool and advocated by numerous prominent strategists, the internet has significantly enhanced the capabilities and proficiency of the movement. Although this shift from organisational to individualised jihad was not brought about by an executive mandate, the movement as a whole has adapted its strategies and procedures to include this potent tool. As the movement continues to evolve and as strategies that emphasise the critical nature of the internet are published by jihadist thinkers such as Abu Musab al-Suri and Muhammed Khalil al-Hakaymah, the internet will increasingly serve as the primary vehicle for the atomisation of the global jihadist movement." (Janes)

"HBO, with 86 nominations, tallied the most bids overall for the seventh consecutive year, but with its lowest total since that streak began. The pay cabler has been the most-honored network six years running, including ties with NBC in 2001 and ‘02.The HBO charge was led by the historical movie 'Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee,' which, despite mixed reviews, lassoed 17 nominations — one more than another western, AMC’s 'Broken Trail,' starring Robert Duvall. Interestingly, last year’s most-recognized project was also a miniseries drawn from that era, TNT’s 'Into the West,' suggesting a strong oater-Emmy link." (Variety)

"A great deal of the world suffers not from too much of this power, but from too little of it. More precisely, much of the world suffers from a lack of legitimate power—that is, authority that is accepted because it rests on generally recognized norms and laws—and too much pure force. Sometimes the force is physical and raw, as when tribal groups clash in Afghanistan or Somalia, or when governments decide to suppress real or imagined enemy groups ... There are, moreover, other arenas for contestations of power, which we might think of as infrapolitical—the family realm, the spiritual realm, and the economic realm. Often we discuss these spheres of social life as if they were devoid of power. But if we think of power as a form of potential constraint designed to ensure desired collective behavior—whether through enthusiasm, obedience, or labor—then most people experience power within non-state institutions, whether these be families, religious communities, or economic structures. Indeed, to most people in the world, the power exerted through families and markets is far more pressing and immediate than power exerted between or within states. Just as physicists postulate dark matter to explain the full strength of gravitation in the universe, we might term this often overlooked capacity to compel outcomes as 'dark power.'" (HarvardInternationalReview)

On The Edwards Campaign



In any other year, with fewer top-tier heavyweight candidates, without a war, John Edwards would probably be the front-runner. He has run what can only be properly construed as a flawless campaign and, it is said, is presently leading in the Iowa and Nevada caucuses. His family drama has become a topic of the American public's conversation. It is, to be sure, to early to call the Democratic field, but with the twilight struggle of Billary-versus-Obama -- joined presently by Oprah -- and Gore, in the tall grass, stalking the two, waiting for one to wound the other mortally, it is hard to see Edwards as pulling this off.

Barbra Streisand Is Demanding. Who Knew?!



Our days as a Nation intern for Christopher Hitchens were funded by Barbra Streisand's largesse so we are reluctant -- but not that much -- to bite the hand that fed us. This being what is referred to in the world of blogs as "a pisser," we felt compelled to relay the info. From Thisislondon:

"Streisand, 65, has taken over the top-floor £6,000-a-night Oliver Messel suite where she is known to have made a number of strict demands.

Staff at the hotel told how they were sent an extensive list by her management, saying Streisand must not be approached by staff unless specifically requested and exactly which linen sheets, flowers and candles she expected.

One source at the hotel: 'We were given a list of requirements that had to be met. Her manager said she needed certain things to make her feel like she was at home.

"'Johnny Depp was here a few weeks ago, but was very low key. He just sat with friends in the bar. He was drinking a £600 bottle of wine, but he did not expect any special treatment.

"'Even Michael Jackson just sat in the bar drinking a fairly unexciting bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. But we are expecting everything to be different for her.'"

One man's "unexciting bottle of Sauvignon Blanc" is another man's "Jesus Juice."

Media-Whore's D'Oevres

"SHE kicked him out of her house, got rid of his stuff and changed the locks.Now Kate Moss has gone to even greater lengths to keep her ex-lover Pete Doherty out of her life. We can reveal that the supermodel has changed ALL her phone numbers - mobile and landline - to prevent Pete getting in touch. Says our well-placed source: 'Pete was still phoning up last weekend and in the end it was too much even for Kate.'" (3AMGirls)

"Last night I headed to Central Park to see the Decemberists (along with my personal favorites, Grizzly Bear) perform at Summerstage. Colin Meloy (in head to toe seersucker) and crew played to a sold out show of die hard fans -- myself not included. As I sat and listened to the performance I couldn't help but think to myself, 'Do I just not get it?' I like the Decemberists, sure, but watching the crowd watch the band was just all too intriguing. These kids sang along to every song and screamed at the top of their lungs for a band that, in my humble opinion, are fairly bland." (papermag)

"Kimora Lee Simmons wastes no time making sure viewers of her new reality show, 'Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane,' clearly understand her "fabulosity." 'I've had billboards; that's my life,' she says, matter-of-factly. Inside her home, the first episode of the weekly show begins with her uniformed staff preparing for the day and a distressed Simmons trying to find the person who moved her teddy bear from a mantelpiece to a chair." (WWD via Jossip)

Sevigny on That Gallo Film



(image via buddytv)

Chloe Sevigny "performed" unspeakable acts on film with -- as if it couldn't get worse -- vole-like trufflier Vincent Gallo. She reflects with EW on the experience:

"She earned a Best Supporting Actress nod for 1999's harrowing Boys Don't Cry. And yet, major attention still eluded her. Not helping was the critically savaged The Brown Bunny (2004), in which she performs oral sex on costar Vincent Gallo. ''It's just like Hollywood didn't bite,'' says the actress. 'They still haven't.'"

If only Sevigny had "bit" at Gallo's "bit part" as soon as it was, ehr, "dangled."

The Unbearable Rightness of Padma



(image via farm1.com)

Diane von Furstenberg -- overheard -- was clearly right. Salman Rushdie, in what can only be properly construed as the punk-assest move EVER is breaking up with Padma Lakshmi, who is astonishingly -- achingly -- beautiful. Padma Lakshmi's dad must be Hezbollah, 'cause she is THA BOMB.

Come on Salman, you don't just give up on a woman like that. If you can take on The Ayatollah's fatwa, surely you can reconnoiter enough rib-busting ox strength necessary to resuscitate a marriage in steep Buddenbrooksian decline.

Anyhoo -- there's a new man in the picture. No surprise he is a hyper-competitive billionaire on the hunt for lo ultimo trophy wife. Teddy Forstmann, International Man of Mystery, last seen pitching-woo to Princess Di, is back on the Manhattan stage. According to our favorite superhero gossip duo Rush and Molloy:

"Billionaire Ted Forstmann has trained his gaze on another world-class beauty.

"The financier, whose consorts have included Elizabeth Hurley and Princess Diana, has become a fast friend of model, chef and actress Padma Lakshmi.

"Their mouthpieces maintain that the two are not dating. But that hasn't stopped some from noticing that Forstmann has appeared in Lakshmi's life just as her husband, author Salman Rushdie, is leaving it."

Okay: Padma Lakshmi, Princess Diana and ... Elizabeth Hurley?! (One of these things is not like the others, One of these things just doesn't belong ..)

...Call me Padma?

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



"SUGE Knight blocking off the bathrooms at Sky Bar in L.A.'s Mondrian Hotel so an overly intoxicated Paris Hilton could have them to herself." (PageSix)

"(Prince's) concert at The Ross School was a sensational experience, from Kid Rock ... to caviar-tarts ... to a rock-star performance by…The Artist Currently Known As The Best Night of the Summer .. People fluttered around double-kissing with David Lauren and Steven Bing, talking about St. Tropez and Tutto Il Giorno, dabbling in candy from Dylan’s Candy Bar and doing the 'I never go out anymore!' thing ..Aida Turturo and Edie Falco had a big table of cast-members and beach friends. They were seriously indulging. The one detail distracting them from their grub and gossip was Leonardo DiCaprio, whose new girlfriend is actually hotter than his ex, Giselle." (DansHamptons)

"From the Eternal City to a capital of design and fashion, the industry’s bold-faced names turned out in Milan Sunday night for a special performance at La Scala opera house celebrating the 10th anniversary of Gianni Versace’s death ..On hand for the memorable and poignant occasion were 1,400 friends, including Rupert Everett, Geri Halliwell, Riccardo Tisci, Quincy Jones, Cesare Paciotti, Beatrice Borromeo, Nadège, and Angela and Rosita Missoni. Donatella’s family, including Santo Versace, Paul Beck, her son Daniel, and a healthy-looking Allegra were present as well, greeting guests later at the Palazzo Reale where they hosted an exquisite sit-down dinner. 'I feel extremely privileged to be here,' said Jessica Alba .." (Fashionweekdaily)

"Rupert Murdoch, who stressed last cycle that his support for Hillary extended only to her Senate reelection, seems to have upped the ante, writing a $2,300 check to her presidential campaign, as Marc Ambinder notes. His son, and apparent successor, James also chipped in $3,450." (Politico)

"According to the Sun, Babyshambles singer Pete (Doherty) entered the Detox 5 clinic on Sunday night — strangely wearing two trilby hats — but soon after his luggage and a guitar were put in a car and he was driven away. Pete who was dumped by model Kate Moss, after it was revealed he cheated on her with South African model Lindy Hingston, was in a blue minicab which was stopped by police at around 12.20pm in north London." (Thisislondon)

"Emma Watson, best known as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, has been signed by Kate Moss’s UK-based agency Storm, with rumors that she may land a contract with Chanel." (Fashionweekdaily)

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ...



Calvin Klein, coming to the wise conclusion that alls well that Sprewell. (image via newyorksocialdiary)



Thug life born, thug life bred, and when the good lord calls Peter Schlesinger, he'll be thug life dead. (image via newyorksocialdiary)



Their union is made stronger by their mutual adoration and reciprocal maintenance of his tan. (image via newyorksocialdiary)

Picture Pages, Picture Pages ..



Anh Duong attends the opening of ... a can of Fresca! (image via newyorksocialdiary)



John Legend, looking to be in dire need of a beef liver supplement or somesuch vitamin aid. (image via style)



True Bromance. (image via thecobrasnake)



... Because their beer wasn't ironic enough. (image via thecobrasnake)



Once you go black ..(image via thecobrasnake)

Corsair Classic

reason #2,357 why women rule the acting profession (Deniro verus Liv Ullman? Daniel-Day Lewis versus Cate Blanchette? blogga please ..)

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



"Shares of Trump (Nasdaq: TRMP) shot up almost 3% on the news that Ivanka is joining the board, then came down to flat on yesterday's close after people realized Trump installed several corporate defense mechanisms on his daughter, including a poison pill and supermajority change of control provision. All Ivanka has to do now is get licensed to work in the casino industry and like, learn shit." (Dealbreaker)

"Elizabeth Edwards is not wasting time. She cut through the fog of sympathy and second-guessing about her decision to continue campaigning for her husband, John Edwards, despite learning in March she had incurable breast cancer, simply by hitting the campaign trail hard. By most accounts she has always been the campaign's leading strategist and still is. But lately she has emerged as its leading risk taker, too. At the end of June she won the nation's attention -- and the gratitude of many -- for confronting right-wing provocateur Ann Coulter live on MSNBC's 'Hardball' ..." (Salon)

The Obama Fundraising Secret: Revealed



(image via alaskareport)

Ryan Lizza of the New Republic was on The Chris Matthews Show on Sunday and revealed a clever little fundraising trick from the Obama campaign. Apparently, one of the reasons that the Obama campaign has been able to defeat a two-term New York Senator ( read: a big money investment-banker/ private equity state) and a former -- popular -- President of the United States in small donors is that the Obama camp are counting $2-$4 bumber sticker purchases as "small donations(Exaggerated cough suiggesting feigned detachment)." Clever! That .. would explain how a charismatic one trerm Senator could beat Billary. Also, from NYTimes:

"Senator Barack Obama was the guest of honor at a dinner at the luxurious Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco this spring with a few hundred lawyers, executives and investors. The guests drank a boutique beer with Mr. Obama’s face on the label and contributed more than $1 million in $2,300 checks to support his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

"Just moments before he arrived, Mr. Obama had said goodbye to a less exclusive crowd of 10,000 that had gathered to hear him speak across the bay in Oakland. They paid nothing to hear him, but spent $40,000 on Obama T-shirts, baseball caps, buttons and other knickknacks. And the Obama campaign registered each of the purchasers as one of the record 258,000 contributors it signed up in the first six months of the year."

Alls fair in love and politics (But, just so you know ..)

Robert Novak Is The True Prince of Darkness



(image via wlu.edu)

There has been some confusion as to who is the actual "Prince of Darkness (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment)." Robert "Listen to them Howling, The Children of the Night" Novak conjures forth all sorts of ghastly necronomiconish associations -- terrified backpackers fleeing unseen monsters in a twighlit Central European hamlet, midnight apparitions of long-dead incarnadine schoolchums materializing at one's windowsil unsummoned -- but he wants you to know, that unpleasantness aside, that he is not only Our favorite Dickensian villain, he is also one goddam fine Bram Strokerish "Ace" as well. From the NYTMagazine:

"NYT: Much of this is recounted with admirable frankness in 'The Prince of Darkness.' Did you intend the title ironically? Yes. It’s a little bit ironic. The nickname was given to me by my friend the reporter John Lindsay because he thought for a young man I took a very dim view of the prospects for our civilization.

Isn’t Prince of Darkness Richard Perle’s nickname? No. It’s my nickname. There was a British parliamentarian who came over and got me and Perle mixed up. At that time, we might have looked a little bit alike, dark-complexioned and sinister-looking."

.. Not to mention the liquid eyes, the duskiness about the eyes, the Spaniel-like fidelity to a capital gains tax cut at all costs ...

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



(image via nytimes)

"Sixteen months after his life of power and luxury ended in an abrupt arrest, Charles G. Taylor, warlord and former president of Liberia, is living in a new cellblock on the grounds of the Men’s Penitentiary near The Hague. Mr. Taylor lives in a cell that looks much like this one at a penitentiary at The Hague. He is allowed to use another cell for his legal paperwork. Once known for his fine white suits, a swaggering style and plentiful weapons financed by trading timber and diamonds, Mr. Taylor now cooks his own food, does his dishes, reads newspapers and receives prison-issued pocket money. He is allowed to spend two hours in the yard and to work out in a gym. He is the first African head of state to stand trial on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. If he is convicted, human rights groups say they hope that his fate could signal an end to impunity for violent dictators in Africa." (NYTimes)

"The Times article in identifying this age with the Gilded Age, a term coined by Mark Twain, reveals that certain new possessors of great wealth see the term with a kind of fondness for the 'specialness' of their personal wealth acquisition. This is not surprising and also comes with the territory. Great wealth begets admiration and awe in this society of ours and so has it always been (as far as I know). Mark Twain, however, it should be noted, thought of the term with less than admiration and awe, but more with irony, than the Times’ subjects." (NewYorkSocialDiary)

"Ben Silverman's debut today before the Television Critics Association at the Beverly Hilton is the big story in televisionland. Hollywood can't wait to see how this hyperkinetic young man comports himself before the ravening horde. One of the issues clinging to Silverman in his new role as co-chairman of NBC Universal's network and television studio is his continued ownership of his production company, Reveille. Silverman is supposed to be in a sort of blind-trust relationship with the company and is not supposed to profit from decisions he makes as an NBC exec. The idea is that while he keeps the money from existing Reveille shows, he gets nothing from shows that Reveille places on NBC's schedule in the future.The issue is: When does the future begin?" (Slate)

"For the broadcast networks, Thursday has long been the most important night, and increasingly the most contested, as first CBS and then ABC began targeting the night with their best shows.There now looks to be another contender, cable's USA.Cable networks have a history of picking one night of the week to shine, putting on their best shows (Sunday for HBO, Wednesday for Bravo, Tuesday for FX) with the aim of making the channel itself a destination, beyond individual programs.For USA, that night has become Thursday over this summer with two new ordinal series, 'The Starter Wife' and the just-debuted 'Burn Notice.' Last week they lifted USA to No. 1 on basic cable in total viewers and adults 18-49 on Thursday evening." (Medialifemagazine)

Media-Whore's D'Oevres



"Indiana's Republican Sen. Richard Lugar, having already called for an Iraq pullout, flatly tells those around him There Will Be an Attack on Us Within a Year." (Cindy Adams)

"THE Stella McCartney camp is refusing to comment so far on rumours that the designer is pregnant with her third child. McCartney and her husband, Alasdhair Willis, are intensely private about their family, which already includes son Miller Alasdhair James Willis, born in 2005, and daughter Bailey Linda Olwyn Willis, who was born last December. If the whispers are true, the designer would be due to give birth at the end of this year, following her spring/summer 2008 show, which is traditionally held in Paris." (Vogue)

"Lionsgate has announced its acquisition of U.S. distribution rights to 'Borat' director Larry Charles' untitled documentary about world religion. Produced by Jonah Smith and Palmer West of Thousand Words, the film features Bill Maher in a humorous (and likely controversial) exploration of the world's major religious institutions. The company is planning a Spring '08 release." (Indiewire)

As Senator John Warner Goes ...



As Senator John Warner goes ... so goeth the Senate (Republicans?). We have nothing but the deepest respect for this man and his calibre of moral seriousness. It would be difficult to find a more sober and well-respected member of that most exclusive of clubs, the United States Senate (Only the college of Cardinals, the See of Peter, may be its peer), than John Warner. The fiery ambitions of his youth -- and, aren't we all that way? -- have cooled, leaving the Senate with a silvery-haired cenrist statesman, the sort of dispassionate man the Founding Fathers would have wanted as a legislator (And, yes, we cannot fail to note that that vision did not include Women or Minorities). Warner risked his safe Senate seat in Virginia some years ago, you'll remember, to cock-block that low grade piece of ass Oliver "Ollie" North from becoming a Junior Senator. Warner campaigned for Independent Marshall Coleman against North, costing him the seat. Warner was rewarded for his risky, unselfish act of statesmanship with a primary challenger from the right-wing freaks in the party. From Wikipedia:

"Because of his centrist stances on many issues and because of his 1993 and 1994 snubbing of fellow Republicans, Warner faced opposition from angry members of his own party when he decided to run for re-election to a fourth term in the Senate in 1996. Many of Virginia's staunch Republican voters began a 'Dump Warner' campaign to try to deny him re-nomination. However, Virginia's GOP party rules allow the incumbent to select the nominating process. Knowing he would probably lose the nomination at a convention or caucus, where only party regulars would be voting, he selected a primary. In Virginia, primaries are open to all registered voters, so Warner encouraged Democrats and independents to vote in that primary. His strategy worked and he handily defeated Republican rival James C. Miller III for the nomination."

Glorious Warner, Naval strategist to the end, beat back the barbarian hordes. There have been rumors among The Chattering Class that Warner will not run for a sixth -- sixth! -- term in the Senate (He would be 81). Machiavellian powerbrokers within the Republican Party, however, are trying to get him to stay in for one more term, out of fear of a routing by the resurging Democrats, as Virginia is now a purplish state, and not a lock for a Republican succession as it has been in the past.

Whatever the case, Warner -- and the upright Senator Lugar's -- courageous stand on the Iraq War is sure to taint their legacies within their Party hierarchy for the short term (Can't you just see those oily neocons on the attack on this Sundays talking head shows?), but in a hundred years both will most certainly be regarded as American Patriots. It is a sad truism that centrists rarely, if ever, are recognized in their own era for their efforts to look beyond parochial party interests and towards the greater horizon wellbeing of the commonweal.

After this last twilight struggle in the Senate and Warner is back on his estate, with his horses, away from the partisan conflagration that has taken over DC, we will look forward to his memoirs: military and political, to see what it was like before the wing-nuts stole the show.

Alistair Campbell's New Blair Bio



(image via scotsman)

It is testament to the powers of free speech in the West that Alistair Campbell, the former Director of Communications and Strategy for the former Prime Minister gets to do a tell all on his time with Tony Blair. From The Economist's Bagehot:

".. We see Mr Blair, Mr Clinton, Romano Prodi, Helmut Kohl and Wim Kok all peeing together at a NATO summit; Fidel Castro praising Mr Blair's 'Third Way'; an African president pinching Mrs Blair's bottom; the Blair children teaching Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness to skateboard; Mr Brown locked in a toilet, during a row over whether he or Mr Blair should be Labour leader; Mr Campbell, Mr Clinton and Kevin Spacey visiting a McDonald's in Blackpool; Mr Blair borrowing a suit from a man on a runway in Bangladesh, because his own is too crumpled. This volume is 757 pages long—and Mr Campbell is threatening to publish more."

Oh.. do; Oh, please do.