Reader John Gorenfeld emails:
The entire situation is reminiscent, as someone pointed out on Atrios, of the old Star Trek episode “Patterns of Force” (in which) Federation history professor John Gill becomes the drugged leader of a Nazi planet:
GILL (seen on TV at a rally): If we fulfill our own greatness,
that will all be ended.
Working together —SPOCK: Captain, the speech follows no logical pattern.
Random sentences strung together.MCCOY: He looks drugged,Jim,
almost in a cataleptic state.GILL: …reach our goal,
And we will reach that goal.
(cheering)
Every thought …
directed toward a goal.
This planet …
can become a paradise,
if we are willing to pay the price.
As each cell in the body …
works with discipline and harmony for the good …
of the entire being —
I’m too tired to dig through Atrios’ comments, but whoever came up with that is a genius.