The Chuck Colson Award
I am starting a competition, in fact a new thread for this blog. It's for all of you - Britons, Americans, wherever you live - with an interest in the politically obscure and trivial.
But I don't start things unless I have a decent chance of winning them myself. So before you start rating yourself let me just tell you a few things that will put you in your place:
- A few years ago, while walking down the street near my London office, Chuck Colson walked straight past me.
- I was the recipient of a large, hideously ugly, mother of pearl gift from Yassir Arafat.
- Art Laffer drew a Laffer curve for me on a napkin.
- I possess the autograph of Aslef union leader Ray Buckton.
- I have spoken on the telephone with Dom Mintoff, the former Prime Minister of Malta.
- I have shaken hands with Alexander Dubcek.
Here's the competition. I am looking for all contact - spotting in the street yesterday, autograph collected in your youth, meeting held with, picture taken with, gift received from, or whatever - with political figures.
Now famous is fine but semi-famous is even better, faintly ludicrous is best of all. Pictures are particularly welcome, especially if they show the semi-famous figure doing something prosaic. Bruce Babbitt shopping for a new television would be ideal.
Either post your "spot" in the comment section or send me an email with picture to commentcentral@thetimes.co.uk. There will be suitably obscure and ludicrous prizes, although winning, of course, isn't really the point. I'll also be updating you as all those great entries come rolling in.
(UPDATE: see the best entries so far here)
(UPDATE: After the massive response, I give you the best entries of the week)
(Another UPDATE: A photo special)
(Yet another UPDATE: David Grossman of Newsnight with a photo that will be hard to beat)
(Ah hem, UPDATE: Jumping around on Karl Rove's bed)
(WE HAVE A WINNER! The grand finale of the Chuck Colson Award 2006)
