Gloom-mongers Have Their Day

Here in the big apple, Fifth Avenue isn't exactly teeming with eager shoppers and, after a summer of sub-prime mortgage fiascos, American consumers are becoming tetchy. Almost half of Americans feel as if the nation is in recession according to a poll released this week - and black people are more pessimistic than white folk.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation study found that 46% feel the country has already dipped into the red. Among black Americans, the figure rose to 69% compared with 42% for the white population.

A recession, of course, is a technical term meaning a decline in gross domestic product for more than two consecutive quarters. We're not there yet - but sentiment is important. The down-in-the-dumps mood doesn't bode well for the imminent Christmas season in the high street. Neither will it be good news for Republicans seeking to succeed President Bush - the White House incumbent's approval rating was a far from sparkling 36% in the same study.

Who can blame the gloom-mongers? Each day seems to bring a fresh piece of bad news from the financial industry - this week, Bank of America pulled down the entire stock market by revealing that the mortgage crisis had shredded its profits. The Dow Jones Industrial Average may have recovered from its August spiral - but the broader consequences of the credit crunch are here to stay.

Trump plays the Iraq card

Taking time out from terrorising Scottish fishermen, Donald Trump offered his latest contribution to American politics this week by lambasting George Bush in truly passionate terms. Appearing on CNN's Larry King Live, America's favourite businessman described the president as a "total disaster" whose support would be the "kiss of death" for any future Republican candidate.

"I'm blaming him for the prestige of the country," said Trump. I'm blaming him that when somebody like me goes to London or goes to Paris or goes throughout the world where I go, we're no longer respected like we were. That's what I'm blaming him for."

Trump spoke of seeing engagement pictures for Bush's daughter, Jenna, in a newspaper - before turning the page to see a picture of a soldier injured in Iraq. "on the next page was a soldier from Iraq whose face got blown off. And he's standing with his future wife, who is in shock, said Trump. "And I'm saying to myself, Bush did this. There was no reason for this. Bush did this. And it's horrible. What he has done is horrible."

Although the billionaire used to consider himself a Republican, Trump has become something of a cheerleader for Bush-loathers and has been articulating the frustration of many moderate conservatives who voted for the president. His remarks raise a curious question - how might the world be different if Trump had persevered with a short-lived bid to run for president as an independent in 1999? The billionaire favours universal healthcare and abortion rights, albeit tempered by swingeing tax cuts for people like himself.

Incidentally, Trump seems to have developed a habit of referring to himself in the third person. In an exchange about famous athletes, he declares: "I respect some of these guys. They are good. And they love Trump, for whatever reason, the athletes love Trump."

Ever busy, the Donald is presently limbering up for a celebrity version of his US television show, The Apprentice. Possible candidates include Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan - prompting the Chicago Tribune to ask its readers for suggested tasks.

"Pin the body glitter on the donkey," suggested one contributor helpfully.

Remote control

The adventures of Conrad Black get weirder by the day. The corrupt press baron's bail conditions ban him from crossing the border to Canada - but that didn't stop him from signing copies of his biography of Richard Nixon at a Toronto bookstore this week.

Appearing by video link, Black wielded a Heath Robinson-style contraption called a "long pen" which allowed him to sign a piece of paper in his beach house in Florida, with the ink coming out of a device in Toronto. Apparently, this scheme was dreamt up by the novelist Margaret Atwood, who is a friend of Black's.

According to Canada's National Post , a small crowd of enthusiasts gathered in Toronto to watch this event - including a man calling himself "Mr Canada" sporting a maple leaf outfit, a woman in a nun's habit and "half a dozen photographers, all smirking".

Despite being a felon, the old bounder can still work his charms on women of a certain age. "Did you say Pauline or Colleen?" Black asked one fan, beaming down the video link. "Because I admired you on the screen earlier so I'm glad to know who you are."