I was travelling in Illinois when I first heard some beefy local pol utter the profound Post-Modern truth that 'Politics is showbiz for ugly people.' Yes, you too may be a mediocre, flaky-scalped, pudgy sycophant. But, with the right 'skills', you also can possess a cellular phone and keep a limo on call and 'take meetings' and issue terse directives like 'I want this yesterday, understand.' Unfortunately, the women you meet in the politics biz will tend to be rather too much like yourself. But, hey, bimbos can be rented! And won't they just be impressed to death when you pass them the bedroom telephone extension and it's the Prez talking.

LRB 20 February 1997 | PDF Download