The Elders: AARP Meets the Illuminati

Yesterday's NY Times brought the news that The Drudge Report delivers 7% of all web action going to major news outlets, making it the second largest driver of web news traffic. (Google: 20%, Facebook, 3%) If you want something to get major exposure, you get it on the Drudge Report.

Close on the heels of that factoid, today's Drudge showcases this:


The best thing that could happen an organization, web-wise, is a Drudge headline about Hillary Clinton refusing to meet you (in capital letters, no less: HELL No!!)

At that link you'll read that the Secretary of State didn't just refuse to meet with former US President Jimmy Carter — she refused to meet with Jimmy and with former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, in their capacity as two of The Elders.
Potential Caption: "Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice Join AARP"

Who Are The Elders?

No, they are not the four sons of Katie Elder.

The Elders is an international non-government organization of public figures noted as elder statesmen, peace activists, and human rights advocates, brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007. The goal of the group is to solve global problems, using "almost 1,000 years of collective experience" to work on solutions for seemingly insurmountable problems like climate change, HIV/AIDS, and poverty, as well as to "use their political independence to help resolve some of the world's most intractable conflicts".

They have a website, of course: TheElders.com
Potential Caption: "The Elders: AARP meets the Bavarian Illuminati"

Who Do They Think They Are?

They probably think they are former world leaders with a lot of skill, experience, and contacts. They probably think they can make the world a better place. They probably think that's worth trying.

Some Things I like About The Elders

• The have no ties to the military-industrial complex. None, zip, nada.
• They're trying to stop wars, not start them.
• They can travel internationally without fear of arrest for war crimes.
  Jealous: Kissinger, Bush, Rumsfeld.
• 12 Elders. 6 Nobel Peace Prizes. Not bad.
• They look a gajillion times better than these chuckleheads:

Just saying.