There was an intriguing article in Time Magazine a couple of years back that pointed out the quirky fact that certain groups of successful people-especially politicians-are more likely to be successful with surnames beginning with early letters in the alphabet-disproportionably it seemed.
It suggested certain people were not earning their positions in life through ability and talent so much but by being picked from lists, lazy selectors going for looks over talent., not getting past C and D in the alphabet as the rest in the pile were much of the same in their minds, such was the requisite for the job or role. If you apply this method to the Spice Girls it is succinctly demonstrated. Five dumb but girl next door' pretty girls were required by then manager Simon Fuller, and so why bother with long auditions? They were two or penny and so top of the pile.

Victoria Adams
Melanie Brown
Emily Bunton
Melanie Chisholm
Gerri Halliwell

When it comes to politicians this theory is as equally applicable, vain and conceited candidates working their way to the top of those alphabetical constituency list for their smarmy looks alone, over skill and credentials

Tony Blair
Gordon Brown
David Cameron
Ming Campbell (Now Vince Cable or Nick Clegg)

It works with US presidents too.

Jimmy Carter
George Bush
Bill Clinton
George Bush
Hilary Clinton?

It works with world leaders but I have slightly over egged the pudding here. The point is maybe Barak Obama wasn't picked from a list-his O' initial would suggest not- and maybe he is in the his electibility for once and won't be one of those pigging out on those bland speeches from the soundbite trough, a genuine bit of charisma with something to say heading to the Whitehouse to change things for black Americans for once. Obama is certainly not from the top of any constituency list in a still racist America. Maybe we have a genuine man of substance here who is attracting genuine votes for being just that, the difference between Charles Kennedy and John F Kennedy!
The brainless Clinton managed it after all. Some even say Slick Willy' was America's first black president; such was his cred with the brothers. He will certainly help Hilary make inroads with that black vote in 2008.

Obama is every white Americans dream of what a black guy should be and, you would think, the ultimate aspirant for black Americans to get out and vote at the ballot box. After the way the black vote was stitched up in the swing

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