Ego, Obama...

It says 'Barack Obama will unite America just like Ho Chi Minh united Vietnam'.

As Barack Obama enters the White House, like most Americans I can't help but be reminded of the I, Claudius novels by Robert Graves. In them, Graves recounts the 'autobiography' of the Emperor Claudius, who took over the Roman Empire after cruelty of his uncle Tiberius and the more ruinously insane follies of his nephew Caligula.

Tiberius, of course, is probably Clinton. For all his bizarre (maybe 'indiscreet' is a better word) sexual habits under his watch the Empire was mostly well-managed, with the public works running and the treasury overflowing with gold. When Caligula took over from him, he was greeted with public adulation and the belief that his youth and eloquence would be the antidote for that dusty old he-goat. Unfortunately, Caligula turned out to be rather insane, committing incest with his sisters and pulling pranks like granting his favorite horse senatorial rank (at least according to Suetonius).

Eventually Caligula was assassinated and his uncle Claudius - infamous for his stuttering, his physical disabilities, and his general reputation as an idiot and an idealist - was made emperor by the Praetorian Guard, after which he surprised everyone by ruling justly and well.

So the question is: is Obama a Claudius or a Caligula? Like Claudius he has a fondness for studying history and is often underestimated by his opponents. Unlike Claudius, Obama probably won't be officially deified until he's out office. Like Caligula he has a talent for oratory and youthful vigor, though as far as I know Obama has no particular regard for horses. We will see...