As Michele Bachmann was at her desk working on another speech slagging off Rick Perry a flash of light streaked across the skies above and came to rest beside her.

Was it Obama making a giant leap of faith in the economy or a light looking for the end of a tunnel. No it was Palinpower.

‘Oh hi Palinpower’ said Michele ‘hope you’ve had a nice flight’

‘Now Michele’ said Palinpower ‘what the hell’s going on. I stepped aside to give you a clear run to the presidency as the Tea Party’s favourite sweetener and your campaign’s heading down the toilet’

‘Hold on a minute’ said Michele ‘it’s early days. I got off to a flyer, then Rick Perry fooled some of the folks some of the time and now Herman Cain’s making inappropriate advances’

‘That’s the spirit’ said Palinpower ‘what are your next big campaign themes?’

‘First I’m going to reveal that Herman Cain has encouraged obesity amongst children’ said Michele ‘He’s worked for Coca Cola, Burger King and Godfather Pizza’

‘You mean’ said Palinpower ‘he offered them pizza they couldn’t refuse’

‘Next I’m going to accuse Mitt Romney of being a moron’ said Michele

‘Don’t you mean Mormon?’ asked Palinpower

‘Yes that too’ said Michele’ and then I’m going to reveal that Obama was born in Hawaii’

‘I know’ said Palinpower ‘that’s a real worry. For years he tried to cover it up by claiming he was born in Kenya. Do you think that Newt Gingrich is much of a threat?’

‘Only if people start taking the election seriously’ replied Michele

‘What can I do’ asked Palinpower ‘to help your campaign?’

‘Stay right out of the way’ replied Michele ‘If you get involved people might start mistaking me for you and I’d never recover from a disaster like that’

‘Aren’t you scared about Perry making a comeback?’ asked Palinpower

‘If he does I’ll go to contingency plan B’ replied Michele ‘I’ll claim he made inappropriate suggestions to me’

‘Like what?’ asked Palinpower

‘Like I’d be a bigger asset to the Republican Party if I joined the Democrats’ said Michele

‘When you become president’ said Palinpower ‘which job have you got in mind for me? I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that I’m your standout choice as vice-president’

‘You would be’ said Michele ‘if you hadn’t made such a dreadful cock-up of the last campaign. I’m rather thinking along the lines of White House Press Secretary. That’s just the job for you because it requires your very special talent of being able to bullshit people into believing you know something worthwhile when it’s patently obvious that you don’t’

With that Palinpower was gone in a flash leaving Michele to ponder whether it would be a good idea if she made more flying visits.