At least they don't enjoy the Triumverate of Mediocrity

I'm one of those people who try to sniff out references to children's literature wherever they may lurk. You can't imagine how thrilled I was when I found that my uncut Patton Oswalt album contained a reference to Templeton in Charlotte's Web. And it was with the greatest of restraint that I kept myself from reporting on both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report's separate references to picture books on the same day. I even sneak peeks at David Letterman in the hopes that he'll say what he's reading to his new baby.

All these things I've kept under my hat, but today I found an interesting little selection that I think you might enjoy as much as I. Now I sincerely hope that this doesn't come as a terrible shock to any of you, but my political inclinations are somewhat along the Radical Militant Librarian lines. As such, one of my favorite radio programs is Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me. On this week's show a very good point was made that I don't think anyone else has brought up before. In the course of one of their quiz games, the show mentioned that new White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolton keeps a copy of Walter the Farting Dog on his office coffee table. Comic Charlie Pierce had this salient point to make.

Charlie Pierce: What is the story with this administration and kids books? I mean between A Very Hungry Caterpillar and My Pet Goat and Walter the Farting Dog, I mean didn't any of these people ever read The Hardy Boys? They'd have figured some stuff out!

Roxanne Roberts: It's part of the Leave No Administration Official Behind Initiative

You can hear this and other parts of the 4/1/06 show on their website.