Mississippi Republican Governor Haley Barbour now says he won't be running for president. The New York Times says a donut tipped his hand long before his official announcement Monday:
There were clues to those who had watched him closely in recent weeks. Last month, he said that he had lost 20 pounds and intended to lose 20 more by the end of April. But nine days ago, after he finished speaking at a Republican county convention in Lexington, S.C., Mr. Barbour grabbed a doughnut before heading for the door. He had not been seen doing that – in public, at least – for months.
We may be apolitical at the Sporkful, but we're fiercely partisan when it comes to the defense of donuts and the belief that love of them should never disqualify anyone from higher office. But alas, Barbour was born too soon. We wish him a delicious donut-filled future outside the White House. As for other potential candidates, we recommend they listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of our donut series so that they can choose wisely as they navigate the bakeries of New Hampshire and Iowa.
Close readers may notice that the Times prefers the doughnut spelling, but the Sporkful Style Guide, invaluable to journalists everywhere, prescribes donut in all cases apart from quoting the Times. /mark (Btw, the patriotic donuts pictured are "American style" donuts as interpreted by the British grocer Sainsbury's. The flickr user who took the picture describes them as "more vile than anything I'd ever encountered at home.") Photo: Flickr CC / celesteh
