Rice 2008

At least two of us--that would be the Ombudsman and the Style Editor--have agreed that if Condi did run for President in 2008, we would drop whatever we are doing and run off to help the campaign. Quite frankly, December 2007 in New Hampshire looks like a good deal, as far as we are concerned, as long as we can do advance work for Madame Secretary.

It's hard to imagine that this is going to happen, but you can dream...which is just what Draft Condi is doing. Here are some of my favorite reasons for President Rice:

5. ...the first President who has proclaimed herself "a Second Amendment absolutist," repudiating everything including registration. Her father didn't hunt ducks -- he hunted Klansmen. (No proof that he got one, but Kerry never proved he got that duck, either).

6. She would also be the first unmarried President in over a century. All the supermarket mags could speculate as to whom she's dating now. (Okay, they could do it with Bill Clinton, too, but this would have a lot more decorum). Stolen glances at Prince Charles? Why did she appoint a 27 year old as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff? Paparazzi could pursue her as she sneaked away with a Marine guard. The Secret Service could detain the paparazi and "accidentally" drop them off the 14th Street Bridge. This gets better by the minute.

7. If she does get married, we'll have to figure out what the First Man of the U.S. does. Gets up on the White House roof to adjust the antenna? Trims the grass? Serves as the representative to NASCAR? (Takes out the garbage is a given).

8. Since the election of 2008 would end with her nomination, she would have no need to barter the usual political favors (this group gets a cabinet official, this donor gets a nice ambassadorship) and could run her Administration as she pleased. (Probably first time that's happened since the election of 1796). The British might actually get a competent ambassador for once. The Democrats would also benefit, since they would save the expenses of a convention, campaign, and inauguration.

You might also check out Rice 2008--which is, I hasten to add, highly unofficial.