New York is buried under an avalanche of Winter Storm Hype. We're hunkered down here in Wombat Central, trying to stay insulated from the howling maelstrom of watches and warnings. Well-padded with trivia, we will ride out the blizzard of prognostications and advisories. Today's question:
In the 1990s, one former member of a U.S. President's cabinet and one future member of a U.S. President's cabinet had books, each of which became one of the 10 bestselling nonfiction titles for the respective years in which they were published.
Name both authors. For extra credit, name the elected U.S. legislator whose book rose to the same level in that period.
First correct answer posted to comments wins a bag of Mr. Nature Raisins (which contain "0% Fat"). No Googling or calling your source at the Library of Congress. One guess (of two names) per post, but you may post as often as you like.
Have you ever noticed how much politicians are like snowflakes? How 'bout Powell and McNamara?
Legistlator: Newt Gingrich.
I'll go with
former: Regan (the astrology flap)
future: Powell
legman: Gingrich
I'm going to refrain from offering partial confirmations of any of the answers. I will wait until a completely correct guess is made before delivering a verdict on any of the parts.
Posted by: BT on December 5, 2003 11:07 AMPowell, Koop, Gingrich.
Posted by: bootsy on December 5, 2003 11:11 AMOh no, do we have to name the years? Powell future, etc.
Posted by: bootsy on December 5, 2003 11:12 AMBaker, Powell, Gingrich
Posted by: Jonathan on December 5, 2003 11:21 AMIt's a deathmatch! Powell, Kissinger, G-man.
Posted by: bootsy on December 5, 2003 11:33 AMI will cave, clue-wise, far enough to mention that the "former" official served in several high-level capacities in addition to his tenure in the cabinet, and has been visited (mildly) by scandal in the years since.
Posted by: BT on December 5, 2003 11:42 AMWe'll call it Wombat III: Arena.
Kissinger churns out books, but I doubt that one was a bestseller in the 90s. I think you're right on Powell and the Grinch, but I'm hazy on whether this would be a former Reagan cabinet sec'y or a former Clintonite (and George Stephanapoulos doesn't count). I'm also ransacking my memory of OMB dudes (Dick Darman before...never mind), who are not, I think cabinet level. On second thought, you had a good thing going with McNamara, but that would make Powell wrong, since you guessed that first.
Howzabout McNamara...
my railgun's jammed.
Sorry, didn't mean to be so earnestly emphatic through that post.
Christopher, Powell, Gingrich
Meese, Powell, Gingrich
Posted by: Jonathan on December 5, 2003 11:56 AM I swear I entered the closing tag!
Schultz, Powell, Gingrich
Schultz, Schmultz! C. Evertt Koop, Powell, Gingrich.
(I was gonna say Leo McGery, but he hasn't written a book as he is a fictional character, not a cabinent member!)
Has someone gone: Kissinger, Powell, Gingrich?
Posted by: teenidol on December 5, 2003 12:38 PMKissinger my grits, latey mac late-idol!
Posted by: bootsy on December 5, 2003 12:40 PMWombat IV: Arena
I swear I kept checking wombatfile.com and finally I hit refresh and the comments were up to 13!
I want to go on record that I mean Colin Powell not Jody. And I'd look up the spelling of their names but that might be considered verboten (another word I would've checked).
Posted by: teenidol on December 5, 2003 12:48 PMtinkers, evans, chance
BTW, has anyone tried the Mr. Chemical Raisins (now with more mercury)? They're yucky.
Posted by: teenidol on December 5, 2003 12:51 PMDid you guys know George S. Boutwell was a Cabinet Member under U. S. Grant?
Posted by: bootsy on December 5, 2003 01:06 PMSay, someone wake up Bill.
Posted by: teenidol on December 5, 2003 02:26 PM...zzz..zzz...whazat? -- awake, I'm awake! Just resting my eyes there for a minute.
OK -- early on Bootsy got half the answer with Powell. AND the extry credit by naming the Big Fig Newt-on.
But our FORMER cabinet officer has yet to be named. He's authored or edited a half-dozen books since he held the position. And he was never Secretary of Sate.
Posted by: BT on December 5, 2003 02:33 PMMust be Drug Czar Gamblin' Bill Bennett.
Posted by: teenidol on December 5, 2003 02:40 PMJames comes through with the answer, although "Drug Czar" isn't technically a cabinet post -- Bennett did hold one under Reagan as Secretary of Education. Well done, sir. Enjoy the healthy snack treat.
So, the winter storm hype here has turned into an actual winter storm. Maybe I should have brought an umbrella, a hat, a heavy coat, or decent shoes to work today. If I don't show up next week, that's no snowman on Prospect Avenue...
Oh, excuse me -- enjoy your 1/2 bag o' dried grapes -- the rest belongs to Laura. And she gets to pick first.
Posted by: BT on December 5, 2003 02:54 PMTechnically, you should get 2/3rds. Guess that means I get the leavin's (and the fun of being the spoiler).
Posted by: teenidol on December 5, 2003 02:59 PMDid someone mention Chemical Raisins? Yes, please.
Posted by: bootsy on December 5, 2003 03:03 PMSpackle
Posted by: Scott on December 7, 2003 05:48 PM