MR. STUPID GOES TO WASHINGTON

The national editor of Spy magazine goes book-length with one of his favorite amusements, trashing an American vice-president. Now, this has happened after the Bush presidency, you understand, but the similarities to recent events are—how shall we put it?—eerie. At the last possible moment, Governor Roger Ross, the Republican presidential nominee, picks for his running mate Brent Bibby, an unknown, handsome, athletic, and thoroughly vacant Indiana senator whose newspaper publisher father is a big party contributor. Why? Unlike our current chief, candidate Ross is a widower, and, unlike our notably virtuous second lady, Lucinda, Senator Bibby's very clever, very ambitious, very stunning wife, is available. Unable to resist availing himself of luscious Lucinda, a beguiled Governor Ross—to the horror of his campaign staff and the detriment of his candidacy—puts the Senator where he can keep the closest possible eye on the Mrs. Bibby. Alas for the nation, Ross's opponent chokes to death on a baby carrot just before the election, and Senator Bibby is a heartbeat away from the Oval Office. The vice-presidential job turns out to be unusually ceremonial. As the nation's chief ribbon-cutter, Bibby spends night after night out of Washington, allowing Lucinda to spend night after night on the Chief Executive Beautyrest. Then, on a fact- finding trip to a strife-torn Central American country, the vice- president is captured by guerrillas and learns to Be A Man. Funny in spots, particularly the vice-presidential utterances, but otherwise watered-down Waugh.