Eric Felten’s column, How’s Your Drink, is a great contribution to American Letters. His passion for the sacrament knows no bound, and one imagines his plush Wall Street Journal expense account is put to good use. That is, in the pursuit of research. Felten’s latest contribution concerns the signature drinks of campaigns past.
Felten has concocted cocktails in honor of this year’s candidates. His recipes feature brandy, scotch, and whiskey-alas, no gin. They sound tasty, but I must take issue with Felten’s failure to integrate Obama’s favorite beverage, Black Forest Berry Honest Tea, into his signature cocktail. Of course, this might have something to do with the fact that Honest Tea tastes like a combination of equal parts water and dirt. My only other objection is the omission of Ron Paul, who is still in the race. So in his honor, let me propose The Gold Standard (2 oz Goldschläger, 2 oz Sprite, 1/2 oz Apple Schnapps). Toast to William Jennings Bryan. Every sip you take will send him rolling over in his grave.
