The Maverick Tribe

What's my obsession with Robert Reich all about, you might ask.  I dunno, I just think he's the coolest economist around... cooler even than those guys who wrote Freakonomics.  Also I recently attended an information session on UC Berkeley's Master of Public Policy program, the school he currently teaches at.  Given Prof. Reich's celebrity status, I figured I wouldn't be running into him, but I was wrong.  He was there and he gave a short talk.  The guy is totally deadpan.  Here are some exerpts.

On Hillary Rodham Clinton:

Back in 1967 I went on a date with one of the current presidential candidates.  Hint:  it's the only one that's a woman.  I don't remember anything about the date except that at the movies she wanted a lot of butter on her popcorn.  Significant?  You decide.

On the current TV and film writers strike:

I'm supposed to be on a plane right now to New York to appear on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.  But because of the writers strike, my trip got cancelled.  Now, as a former Secretary of Labor, I'm sympathetic with their cause, but between you and me, I'm pissed.

On the public policy school he works for:

The only reason I'm here at this late hour is because the dean is a real slavedriver.  Other than that, it's an excellent school.