Him Again: Jean Chretien is out promoting his memoirs

"According to my memoirs, no comment." The Commentator

Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien is out promoting his book and boy does he come out swinging - apparently he did not want to lose "to a bunch of self-serving goons." He especially comes down hard on former PM interloper and wannabe Paul Martin. I really don't feel like rehashing anything he has to say because frankly, to me, the Liberals were and are a bunch of scabs.

However, the one thing that intrigues me about Chretien's publicity stunt is how former leaders have come from the dead to hog the public spotlight in recent times - think that lovable peanut Jimmy Carter and the charismatic hornyman Bill Clinton.

Here's a movie idea: Night of the Presidential and Prime Ministerial Living Dead meet the Paparazzi.

Memoirs can be revisionism of the worst kind.

The question is this: How do people feel about former leaders coming out from retirement to offer unsolicited suggestions and criticisms to current leaders? Is this encroachment? Didn't they get their kick at the can? How do they feel about these memoirs that have become little more than a petty debate between former leaders (Brian Mulroney kicked off the festivities with his book, followed by Chretien, not to be outdone the Nowhere Man Paul Martin is going to be releasing a book shortly.)

In the old days they would have it out in a public square. Now they do it behind a pen.