tough problem, easy problem

So who would want to be sitting in Obama's chair right now? Come on, let's see those hands.

Not me. I'm pretty sure Mubarak is a bad guy. But he's America's and Israel's bad guy -- a poor ally, but the only one they have. The angry crowd in Cairo sure seems to have a case, but if they are going take over the government they need a leader. And who will that be -- a sensible tolerant thoughtful get-along guy, or a tough extremist? Exactly.

Whatever Obama does, it'll be wrong. And if he does nothing, that'll be wrong too. Ain't it fun to good to go to work in the morning? Oy.

The papacy is a different case. (You know, I thought I would talk about Jersey Shore today. That's more my speed. But the article on the op-ed page of the Globe this morning -- ALL OBAMA'S FAULT -- got me pondering here at the high-stakes table and now I can't stop). Partly because the pope is the supreme ruler. And partly because the solutions are, you know, not hard. If I were pope (another strong no thank you) I would at least know the right things to do. There'd be no nagging doubt about making the priests leave the altar boys alone (Are you, uh, sure, your Holiness? Have you considered the ramifica -- Yes. Well, uh, if you're sure. Yes, we're sure.), or letting them marry, or giving women a larger role in the church, or ... well, you get the idea. I wouldn't want the job of pope, but I figure I could get the church on the right track in a couple of weeks. Really, no reason for it to take longer than that. Then I'd proclaim international ice cream day and give out free samples. Maybe then -- here is where I might need advice -- we could talk wardrobe.