America's most influential social policy magazine, the Public Interest, is to close after 40 years. Founded by Democrat intellectuals, many of them ex-communists or Trotskyists, such as Daniel Bell, Nathan Glazer, Irving Kristol and Daniel Patrick Moynihan, it broke with the left over LBJ's "war on poverty" in the late 1960s. Its writers stressed culture, character and morality, and were later seen as the original "neocons" in domestic policy—not of the left but not of the traditional right either. Ironically, the foreign policy neocons have come to be known for their idealistic social engineering, exactly what the Public Interest set its face against.
A French PM's Canadian trial
Former French prime minister Alain Juppé, trying to forget his 14-month suspended prison sentence for his part in diverting taxpayers' money, thought he would take an unstressful sabbatical far away in the University of Québec, sure they would be flattered by his august presence. Great was his chagrin to be told that his application had been turned down. Undeterred, Juppé offered his services to Québec's École Nationale d'Administration Publique, which took him on. But then staff and students went into uproar. It seems that in Canada, teachers are expected to set a moral example. In the Québec daily Le Devoir, Gérard Bouchard, a teacher at the University of Québec and brother of former Québécois prime minister Lucien, expressed anger that the directors of the ENAP should allow a man "guilty of a serious criminal act" to teach a subject which he himself has been judged "unworthy to practice." In France, diverting public funds for one's political party is not considered a crime, but a misdemeanour, even when it's 25m francs. Juppé did finally get the job, after 54 per cent of his potential students agreed he should be allowed to come. But back in Paris there is a rumour that his original sentence may have been excessively reduced, and that while Juppé is teaching Canadians how to get by in public administration, his case may be reopened back home.
Bush backs the EU constitution
The Telegraph story that American conservatives managed to get a line of support for the new EU constitution excised from Bush's speech in Brussels was true (although it was Dick Cheney's intervention that counted, rather than that of the neocons). But Bush got the word out anyway, authorising his chum Rockwell Schnabel, US ambassador to the EU, to give an on the record interview to Gareth Harding, the UPI man in Brussels. "The president supports the EU constitution because it will address the foreign policy question—there will be one person representing Europe—and will streamline its institutions. It works towards a stronger Europe," said the Dutch-born Schnabel, who sat in on Bush's meetings with EU and Nato leaders in the Belgian capital. "It's a European question and we have no influence other than to observe. But the constitution will be beneficial for the EU. If you are for a strong and prosperous EU, I would think you would favour it," he added. Harding then thoughtfully asked the British Tories to comment, suspecting that their reaction might indicate just how wide the rift between parts of the British and American right had become. "It would be very improper for the US president to oppose or endorse the constitution," said Daniel Hannan, a fiercely anti-constitution Tory MEP.
Fianna Fáil
No wonder the Irish political establishment has been making the most of Sinn Fein's recent discomfort over gangsterism. Gerry Adams's party was aspiring to play a kingmaker role in Irish politics, which could have been especially awkward for the ruling Fianna Fáil party. Now that Sinn Fein's rather puritanical image has been tarnished that looks a distant prospect. And, if the IRA is wrenched by a new split, could this mean a comeback for the SDLP in the north?
Marx's goblins
Thanks to the bloggers at Harry's Place (hurryupharry.bloghouse.net) who alerted us to a curious diary story in the Scotsman. Apparently in the first ever English translation of the Communist Manifesto, the famous opening read "A frightful hobgoblin stalks throughout Europe. We are haunted by a ghost, the ghost of communism." The culprit was a Scotswoman living in Burnley, friendly with Engels, who worked under the name Howard Morton.
Hitchcock's Eastenders
A conference at the University of Westminster to mark the 20th anniversary of Eastenders revealed why it is based in a square. Jonathan Powell, then head of BBC drama, was wrestling with the problem of where to locate the new soap—a cluster of mobile homes was even considered. Then he saw a screening of Hitchcock's classic, Rear Window. Albert Square was born from the idea of looking out on to that courtyard.
