最悪の総理

読みかけのエイミ・タンの『SAVING FISH FROM DROWNING』から。
語っている主人公は幽霊なんだけど、まあ、それは別にどうでもよくて、雲南地方の奥地からビルマへ向かうアメリカ人観光団のオハナシ。まったく無能な現地ガイドからできるツアーガイドに変わったときの主人公の独白。

I, too, thought she was an ideal guide. She had an aura of assurance matched by competence. This is the best combination, much better than nervousness and incompetence, as in the last guide. The worst, I think, is the complete confidence matched by complete incompetence. I have experienced it all too often, not just in tour guides, but in marcketing consultants and art experts at auction houses. And you find it in plenty of world leaders. Yes, and they all lead you to the same place, trouble.

完全な自信と完全な無能の組み合わせ、というのはもしかして次の総理大臣になるあの人のことか。そうか、連れて行かれるところは、トラブルなのね。マジで怖い。