The Four Envelopes: Obama Still Running Against George Bush

Honest, can't make this stuff up.

There is an old joke about Nikita Kruschev, the Soviet leader of the 50's and 60's.

Stalin is on his deathbed, and writes four letters, seals each into its own envelope, labeled 1-2-3-4. He then writes a separate note, and seals it inside a large envelope along with the four letters. He gives it to Molotov, and says: 'Give this package to my eventual successor, and tell him to read the note as soon as he takes office.' That done, he dies.

Kruschev ascends to power, and is given the envelope. The note reads: Comrade! Crises are an inevitability of history. When you have a major crisis, open each letter in order, one letter per crisis. Good luck, comrade!

Kruschev stuffs the envelope in the drawer for safe-keeping. The wheat crop fails--a crisis. He opens the first envelope, and the letter says: Blame me!

The de-Stalinization campaign begins, and it works!

Next crisis arrives--next envelope: Blame the Chinese! Damn, it works!

Next crisis--envelope #3: Blame the Americans! Hot-damn, it really works! He goes to the UN, bangs the podium with his shoe, makes the cover of Time!

(By this time, Nikita's feeling pretty good about his job. It's a good gig, screwing up and getting to blame everybody else!)

Next crisis--envelope #4: Prepare four envelopes.