Third Thursday in Ordinary Time

From a review of the 1966 novel Capable of Honor:

Drury’s portrayal of the novel’s third major figure, Ted Jason, liberal Governor of California, is a fascinating psychological study of the slow and deadly moral decay of a man who wants political power, but who has no firm political principles. Jason wants to be President, not for any ideological purpose, not in the name of great ideals, but for the glory and power of the office. ….

Ted Jason is, of course, the favored candidate of [media columnist] Walter and his world. He is their fair-haired boy, their hope for the future

—the malleable man they need. All their energies are devoted to promoting him. The same newspapers that call [incumbent president] Hudson and [Secretary of State] Knox aggressors, and that bury snide reviews of Knox’s collected speeches somewhere on page 23, rush into print with lead articles, cover stories, personality sketches and interviews in depth on Jason, and with featured reviews of his collected speeches, announcing them as “must” reading. In countless women’s magazines, wistfully admiring articles on Mrs. Jason’s recipes, hairdo and clothes are presented for the edification of the public.

(Reference:here)

This may be unrelated, but on the way in I heard the news segment on our local classical music station. The announcer spent no more than 15 seconds on the approval of the “stimulus” plan, and a full minute on Obama’s …

… cook!