Rumpberthomscalalitabebopaluladingdongshesmybaby predictions.

William Safire triumphantly returns to the NYTimes opinion page with his clever "office pool" predictions for 2006. What a hoot!

The last one is interesting:

14. As Bush approval rises, historians will begin to equate his era with that of: (a) Truman; (b) Eisenhower; (c) L.B.J.; (d) Reagan; (e) Clinton.

My guess is that Bush will be seen as incomparable to anyone but himself. Safire is right that his approval ratings will inevitably skyrocket. The amazing Iraqi elections have already given him a tremendous boost. Only partisans would deny Bush his greatness.

But I do have a criticism of Safire, the notorious wordsmith maven. ("Notorious" means "celebrated," right? Upon sincere self-reflection, I am sure that I am right.) He coins the term "Robertscalito" to describe the new Supreme Court. This is not aesthetically pleasing!

I propose the term "Rumpberthomscalalitabebopaluladingdongshesmybaby" instead. That is aesthetically pleasing, and nonpartisan as well! Who does not like "oldies"? Perhaps the same people that do not like Roberts or Alito because of their partisanship. These people need to get over their wombs and civil liberties manias and engage in honest self-reflection about how they present themselves to the nonpartisan American people.