Forget Hillary, Obama, or McCain. How about Bill Gates for president? That's what Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic strip, half-jokingly suggested on his blog last week:

I think that in an election cycle or two you will see an atheist business leader emerge as a legitimate candidate for president. And his name will be Bill Gates. By then, Bill Gates will have done so much good for the world through his charitable works that combined with his business success he'll appear more qualified than any other candidate. ... I doubt Bill Gates is considering a run for president right now, largely because it's so hard to make a difference from that job. His charities will have more impact. But I think he'll someday realize that the world needs a rational thinker in the top spot and no one else can win."

As viral ideas are wont to do in cyberspace, now others are agitating online for the Microsoft leader to run for prez. There's even a Web site dedicated to the effort, which Adams also supports.

Well, seeing as how even Gates thinks it won't happen anytime soon, I have an alternative suggestion. How about Bill Gates for ambassador to the United Nations?  President Bush should seriously consider it. John Bolton will probably be leaving the post soon. Gates is planning on retiring from Microsoft anyway. Being ambassador to the U.N. would give Gates policy experience, as well as the kind of red-tape navigation skills he'd need if he were to ever become head of state. Besides, there will be plenty of chances for photo-ops with Bono and Angelina for the One campaign, and a nice platform to eradicate poverty and AIDS and promote education with the UN's Millennium Development Goals. And who better to weed out corruption and streamline a gigantic bureaucracy than our nation's Executive-in-Chief? Plus, I can't imagine why the Senate wouldn't confirm him. So, Bill, how about it?

Hat tip: Slashdot