If you have to ask, you can’t afford to get elected

Former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman is expected to spend a total of $150 million of her own money in her campaign for governor of California. In wealthy woman’s terms, that comes to about three million cabaña boy rubdowns. In political terms, $150 million will buy:

• The services of every political consultant willing to tell any paying client, “Trust me, there’s no way you’re going to lose!”
• The image of an everyday Jane with whom you could share a bottle of bottle of Dom Pérignon at the Polo Club.
• The unwavering support of anyone with a butler named Jeeves.
• The sinking feeling that she is pissing her fortune away.
• The wrath of her relatives who have a sinking feeling that “Aunt Meg is pissing my inheritance away.”