George W Bush’s South American tour is being plagued by riots and
awkward questions from the travelling media – making the leader of the
free world look more uneasy than ever. He doesn’t seem to be able to
get a handle on the fact that in Iraq, the attacks by insurgents
on US troops have increased by 100 each day and the President continues
to maintain that democracy is working.

Another problem is the continued
presence in the White House of Karl Rove, who it is alleged has had his
security status “downgraded.” Even the Murdoch-controlled Fox news
channel – arguably the most biased in the US – is finding it
difficult to maintain its usual pro-Bush rhetoric.

The visit by the next king and queen of Australia has been a
wash-out.
Camilla of Cornwall is being continually compared with Princess Diana
and a body blow to Australian monarchists was delivered by Dicky
Arbitter – a former press aide to Queen Elizabeth. He proclaimed on
CNN that when Charles becomes king – Camilla will definitely become
queen. He said the talk that she will become the princess consort is
“hogwash,” pointing out that when a woman marries a king she becomes
his
queen.