(This stupid joke, and the linked cartoon which inspired it, will be difficult for international readers to understand. It might make slightly more sense if you replace “Andrew Bolt” with “Rush Limbaugh” as you read it, while noting that a true analogue to Limbaugh simply doesn’t exist in the Australian commentariat. Despite having our own breed of hypocritical right-wing crazies, I think it will be a long time coming before Australians would accept someone even remotely as ignorant and offensive as Limbaugh in our public conversation.)

(Interesting aside: After serving as Deputy Chief of Staff to Leo McGarry through President Bartlet’s administration, Josh Lyman became Chief of Staff under President Matt Santos at the end of the series. The eerie similarities between Obama’s reality and The West Wing’s storyline continue…)

Ari Emanuel was the inspiration for Entourage’s hilarious super-agent, Ari Gold.

Ezekiel Emanuel is a medical ethicist.

Screenwriters, start your engines!

Yeah, perhaps the Emanuel family won’t be scoring a hat trick.

Update: Jonathan informs me that the Emanuel brothers were interviewed by Charlie Rose this week. Now to find it online!

I was born by the river
In a little tent
And just like the river
I’ve been running ever since

It’s been a long, long time coming
But I know a change gonna come
Oh, yes it is

It’s been too hard living
But I’m afraid to die
I don’t know what’s up there beyond the sky

It’s been a long, long time coming
But I know a change gonna come
Oh, yes it will

Then I go to my brother
I say brother help me please
But he winds up knocking me
Back down on my knees

There’s been times that I thought
I wouldn’t last for long
But now I think I’m able to carry on
It’s been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh, yes it will

 — Sam Cooke, A Change is Gonna Come

Thank you to all my friends in the USA, at both ends of the political spectrum… and thank you to Barack Obama and everyone who participated in this historic campaign. It’s a giant first leap to renew America’s image throughout the world, and there are so many of us who couldn’t be more excited that you’re back on track.

The idea of America is amazing. That a country and people of such breadth and depth hangs together as a democracy is incredible. It has been so disappointing to see that idea dragged through the mud for the last eight years, but tonight was wonderful and uplifting.

… and hopeful. There, I said it.

More than ever, the USA needs an inspiring leader, so I don’t want to see Obama locked away from the people, forever stuck behind bulletproof glass podiums and the windows of heavily-armoured cars.

At least there’s one very tiny sliver of silver lining, if I may smother my concern with humour for a moment: We can call his car the Hopemobile.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

… and a bonus one because I can’t resist. But also because 5 is a much cooler number than 4. I don’t know what Chris has been smoking.

Click here to view the embedded video.

(Hooray for Viper’s Video Quicktags! Except for that bug with incorrect YouTube links in my feed…)

In fact, that’s precisely what returning a Republican to the White House will be after eight years of cronyism, incompetence and mismanagement: A Road to Nowhere.

But hey — at least they have a bridge to sell you!