Guess who's coming to dinner part 2

I spoke in this earlier post about having a dinner party where I could get to invite anyone I wanted to. Noam Chomsky is already in. If Noam is in, I really should have a politician as a foil. I really wanted one anyway, but the problem is that I can’t think of one I actually like or admire. Obama at this point is a bit too obvious and for the same reason as Ali. I won’t be inviting him. He is just too big at this moment. John Key (the current Prime Minister of New Zealand) might be next on this list but I’m still not happy with that choice. While he seems to be a likable guy and everything, he’s not a lifetime politico and actually came out of the wonderful world of high finance which isn’t the most likable profession right now. Politician/Financier is too synonymous with murderer/rapist these days. No John is out. I want a lifer. The other problem with having a politician is that I cannot completely trust that I’ll get a straight answer to a question all night. So I need to find a political lifer who will answer a straight question with a straight answer. Wish me luck on that one. How about then someone who was a lifer but is only recently out of politics? Bill Clinton then becomes an obvious choice but I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving him alone with the womenfolk. That’s a bummer because I’d like to have Hilary come too. Unfortunately, I don’t think given current US foreign policy that Hillary and Noam would hit it off at all. I could almost envisage the two getting into a scrap where Noam starts off with something like “Madame Secretary, I believe your policy dealing with the economic threat posed by China and India is flawed until you at least begin to deal with them as equals” Whereas Hillary responds with “Chomsky, get fucked!” and smashes him over the head with an empty wine bottle. She then yells for Bill to get their coats because they’re leaving and Bill comes out of one of the bedrooms like a demented Basil Fawlty with ladies underwear on his head and a dirty sanchez going “Yes dear, coming.” No, no couldn’t have that, although it is tempting. Where does that leave me? I tried to think of an interesting Dutch politician but gave up before my head wanted to explode.I thought about inviting Ruud Lubber's eyebrows but they to like Ali or Obama would dominate the evening Their politics are too full of compromises anyway. They would always try and meet you halfway in any discussion you had with them which is almost like having a discussion with yourself. No thanks. So it sort of brings me back to New Zealand really. By a process of default I’m going to chose the former prime minister Helen Clark. You’ll hear an audible groan from my New Zealand readers but give me a chance to explain my rationale. In the first case, this choice is not a compromise. Sir Helen ticks all the boxes really. She is a lifer who has totally been committed to the cause since the early 70’s. She has only ever wanted to be a politician. I admired her while she was Prime Minister even though my opinion of her party comrades has never been that high. At the end of her reign she was sort of like a captain on a ship of fools. She’s now moved on to 3rd in charge at the United Nations but I am sure that she would have a lot to say on past, present and future New Zealand which is important to me. She is really intelligent and well spoken and can form ideas without an advisor and would, I think form an excellent counter to Chomsky in regards to the fact that while it may be easy to throw tomatoes from off stage but she may be able to give a point of view as to how the decision-making process is made at the highest level. So that my friend is my 2nd guest Helen Clark. Added bonus, I’m sure her husband Peter is really good at washing dishes!