That's the question that the Canberra Times asked, but you have to wonder which particular stage Alex was running from.  The King of Karaoke has played a different role for Condi in more ways than one.  It  might be that the only way for Downer not to appear like a twit next to Dr Rice was to be invisible.

Photo: AP

Come to think of it, Rice and Downer could have done a double act... maybe one of those "ventiloquist" acts.  Rice could play Brahms with her left hand while her right was shoved up Downer's, um , back.  Downer would be singing the words that came out of Condi's mouth.. the Meat Loaf song would be perfect

Can you imagine the two of them reciting this introduction?

On a hot summer night.
Would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?
Will he offer me his mouth?
Yes
Will he offer me his teeth?
Yes
Wlll he offer me his jaws?
Yes
Will he offer me his hunger?
Yes
Again. Will he offer me his hunger?
Yes
And will he starve without me?
Yes
And does he love me?
Yes
Yes
On a hot summer night.
Would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?
Yes
I bet you say that to all the boys.

 All the boys, dear Alex, don't get proposed by the Bush Administration as Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.    Nor do they get used as a "back channel" by White House in negotiations with North Korea.

Were you so worried about your international image that you couldn't dress in drag any more, for fear that a photo might be taken and people might laugh at you?  More than usual?

Either our Foreign Minister is taking himself much too seriously or he's  actually more of a major player than we'd like to think.  Or, , he did exactly what Rice told him to, aided by his well-honed ability to follow karaoke lyrics.

Politically speaking, Downer will never be able to play Brahms, but he'll get plenty of practice at "Chopsticks"