Calling Karl Rove

What do you do if the crowd at your rally is hoisting placards that bear the likeness of a political leader other than yourself? If you are General Pervez Musharraf, the president of Pakistan, you ignore the pictures of Altaf Hussain, an exiled politician, and wave at the crowd as though it belongs to you. You start your speech even though riot policemen are whacking the unruly with wood batons. And you continue speaking even though a considerable number of rally-goers are heading for the exits long before the completion of your address.

In other words, I had an enjoyable time at Musharraf’s rally in Karachi, even though the temperature was in the hundreds and due to security concerns you couldn’t purchase refreshments (glass or plastic bottles might have been thrown at the podium). It was the general’s last outing before a referendum on Tuesday that will extend his rule by five years; the outcome is certain because opposition gatherings have been banned and the opposition has told its supporters to boycott the show. The referendum may not be democratic, but at least it’s entertaining. I will miss the stories in local papers about the government impounding buses to transport its supporters to the general’s rallies.