We've been looking forward to this. In the left corner weighing in with a face full of cigar and several wins already under his belt is 'Gorgeous' George Galloway. Way over on the right weighing in with a US Senate Committee behind him is Republican Norman 'Norm' Coleman.
Galloway (already nicknamed 'The Oily Brit' by The New York Post) is in the US to defend himself against allegations that he profited from his links with Saddam Hussein and has already told journalists to "get a ringside seat". Speaking to the Socialist Worker, Galloway said:
"I'll be there to give the committee both barrels — verbal guns, of course, not oil. I welcome the opportunity to clear my name. My first words will be 'Senator, it's a pity that we are having this interview after you have found me guilty. Even in Franz Kafka's novels there was the semblance of a trial'"
This may well fall on deaf ears as Coleman has said that he may "walk him" through some of the evidence, "but in the end I'm not looking for much from him".
This seems a little odd - to accuse someone of something and then not expect much of them in return, but then again this is the strange world of American politics... We're following the Senate's lead and are quite happy to make up our minds well in advance on this too. Cole looks like a lightweight and we're expecting George to be picking bits of 'Norm' meat from his teeth for days to come.
UPDATE: Galloway is already on the offensive.
