Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick has obviously been watching way more CNN than anyone should. And what has penetrated deeply is that self-congratulatory refrain: “part of the best political team on television”.

Here’s his homage to those masters of the genre:

“The secretary (Condi Rice) is clearly up and running quite well,” Zoellick said. “We now have a very good team, a team considered — false modesty here* — one of the best, if not the best, Cabinet teams around.”

Take that, Defense! In your face, Treasury!

* Presumably he actually said “no false modesty here”.