Pookie and Diddums

      You've all by now, I'm sure, heard about the ridiculous "rules" of the American presidential debates that will basically turn the debates into alternating commercials for each candidate.   The New Yorker, however, has run with matters a bit, though not much more than a bit.      Here's this blog's favourite section:

Paragraph Forty-two: Language.
Candidates shall address each other in terms of mutual respect (“Mr. President,” “Senator,” etc.). Use of endearing modifiers (“my distinguished opponent,” “the honorable gentleman,” “Pookie,” “Diddums,” etc.) is permitted. The following terms are specifically forbidden and may not be used until after each debate is formally concluded: “girlie-man,” “draft dodger,” “drunk,” “ignoramus,” “Jesus freak,” “frog,” “bozo,” “wimp,” “toad,” “lickspittle,” “rat bastard,” “polluting bastard,” “lying bastard,” “demon spawn,” “archfiend,” or compound nouns ending in “-hole” or “-ucker.”

What about "festering political maggot?" "Simpering media whore?" "Dickless wonder?" "Gaping, infected wound on society's already swollen arse?" "Anne Obrien Rice"?

      Some of you, by the way, might find this of interest.   Let me predict who'll win here: the guy who's probably going to lose on November 2nd....