Two critical questions are dominating political discourse in the US. Does the president realise that if he lifts the debt ceiling much more he’ll forever be known as Owebama and are the Republicans capable of producing anyone who can kick him out in 2012?

It is simply astounding that with such a bare candidate cupboard they haven’t yet combed through the pubs, rehabilitation centres and B Movie sets which have proved such abundant sources of talent in the past.

The current line-up for the party’s nomination is causing about as much excitement as a free holiday for two in Tripoli.

One candidate is dogged by his connection with the Morons, there’s two or three others who are desperately trying to rise above nonentity status, one’s gone into Newtral, one who believes it’s always Tea-time and another who seems more interested in a bus ticket than the Republican ticket.

Several prominent identities have been approached about running including Hillary who has reportedly been promised she can switch back to being a Democrat after the election provided she dumps Obama.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn is a possibility now that it seems unlikely he’ll be a presidential candidate in the upcoming French election and will almost certainly still be resident in the US in 2012. The authorities in Hawaii would be only too pleased to produce a birth certificate for him. Some senior Republicans however have expressed doubts whether the public would accept inappropriate behaviour by a candidate before an election. Experience shows it’s better to wait till after you’ve been elected.

There is alarm in some circles that the position of president is losing its unique aura. It has become so impossible to make a success of it that those with the necessary talents are earning a fortune on lecture circuits describing how they would make an outstanding president while not exposing themselves to the tiresome business of having to prove it.

Sarah Palin is the least favoured candidate by large sections of the Republican Party and the most favoured by the entire Democratic Party. She should obviously consider switching parties.

Meanwhile there is universal agreement that the next Republican presidential nominee should not be flushed out by more beating around the Bushes.