See This Elbow, Rubbed Upon Him

The global economy received a small but noticeable boost today as the speechwriter industry bubble expanded to the proportions of a fast-spinning gas giant. US President Obama, whose political ascent from Nobel peace laureate to common terrorist mirrors the career of Mandela, paid tribute to the great man's influence upon himself, and humbler spirits followed in his wake.

Our own Daveybloke, whose spiritual granny Margaret Thatcher was an assiduous supporter of P W Botha, had a bit of a burble about Mandela being "a legend in life and now in death," much like one of those rock stars whose names may usefully be dropped when one is posturing for the prole vote. At the very least, Mandela had the good grace never to apply for asylum in the United Kingdom; which will certainly help reconcile the Conservative Party to his memory and may one day even be thought to compensate for his consistent emphasis on national reconciliation rather than on blaming poor people. Gordon Brown paid tribute to Mandela's magnanimity, fortitude, courage and general lack of resemblance to Gordon Brown; while among Britain's religious leaders, the Reverend Blair praised Mandela for once having worked closely with the Reverend Blair.

As for me, I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.