Al Gore was in London and met the Queen. Ever the policy wonk, instead of asking her about race horses he quizzed her on her leadership philosophy.

The Queen said she found that the best way to govern was to surround herself with intelligent people. “But how do you know they are intelligent?” Gore asked. “I ask them telling questions,” said the Queen and promptly phoned Tony Blair.

“Mr Blair,” the Queen said, “your mother has a child, your father has a child and this child is not your brother or your sister. Who is it?”

“Why it’s me,” said the Prime Minister, without a pause. “Correct!” said the Queen.

Gore returned to American and called George W. “Mr President, may I ask you a question?” he said. “By all means,” said the President.

“Your mother has a child, your father has a child and this child is not your brother or your sister. Who is it?”

George W. was stumped and remained silent for a while before saying, “May I get back to you on that, Al?” He asked all his closest aides before finally ringing Colin Powell, to whom he posed the telling question. Powell, like Blair, replied, without a pause: “It’s me.”

George W. rang Gore and said: “I know the answer to your question. It’s Colin Powell.”

“Wrong,” said Gore. “It’s Tony Blair.”

Peggy Noonan
Ronald Reagan’s White House speechwriter