Jon Stewart has uncovered evidence of a new disease that is sweeping through the ranks of senior members of the Bush administration. It’s called Ballsheimer’s Disease. The symptoms are acute memory loss concerning unpalatable facts, and superhuman levels of effrontery. A prominent victim is former Vice-President Dick Cheney who last week was observed campaigning for freedom of information and the publication of classified documents. There is currently no known cure for the condition, though neuroscientists claim that some patients have been helped by lobotomy.

Former President George W. Bush is reported to be setting up a FaceBook group to campaign for better treatment for Ballsheimer’s sufferers. Interviewed at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, Mr Bush said that he would be setting up the group just as soon as he had located his Profile.