>>>>I DO admire his ability to argue, explicate and hold his own in discussions..(we here in the US can see the appearances before the House of Commons where debate of a type unkown here rages....and where G.W. Bush would be eaten alive if he tried to emulate Blair's style!)..... <<<<

When Blair's on C-SPAN, I can't turn it off. Not only does he hold his own in those debates, he always shines, AND does it while appearing to be the most likeable fellow who ever walked the planet. I only caught a bit of his speech yesterday, but the immediate impression I had was: "He wrote that himself, didn't he????)"

As to the specifics and subtleties of domestic policies and politics, I know very little, but on the world stage, he is a superstar. I'm sorry to hear he may be a glory-seeker, but in any event, he does get the glory.