Intelligence test

I got this in email the other day. It seems like a good one that’s been around for a while, but the names are pretty interchangeable (depending on your affiliation, of course). I was too lazy to choose more neutral names, though; with this group, there’s no way to twist it my liking.

Given that Al Gore has no job, he decided to take a sightseeing vacation to Europe.

While visiting England, he is invited to tea with the Queen. He asks her what her leadership philosophy is. She says that it is to surround herself with intelligent people. He asks how she knows if they’re intelligent. “I do so by asking them the right questions,” says the Queen. “Allow me to demonstrate.”

She phones Tony Blair and says, “Mr. Prime Minister, Please answer this question: “Your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and this child is not your brother or sister. Who is it?”

Tony Blair responds, “It’s me, ma’am.”

“Correct Thank you and goodbye, sir,” says the Queen. She hangs up and says, “Did you get that, Mr. Gore?” “Yes ma’am. Thanks a lot. I’ll definitely be using that!” Upon returning home, he decides he’d better put some of his old friends to the test. He calls Bill Clinton and says, “Hi, Bill, I wonder if you can answer a question for me.”

“Why, of course, Al. What’s on your mind?” “Uhh, your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and this child is not your brother or your sister. Who is it?” Clinton hems and haws and finally asks, “Can I think about it and get back to you?”

Gore agrees, and Clinton hangs up. Clinton immediately calls members of his old staff, and they puzzle over the question for several hours, but nobody can come up with an answer. Finally, in desperation, Clinton calls Colin Powell at the State Department and explains his problem.

“Now look here, your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and this child is not your brother or your sister. Who is it?”

Powell answers immediately, “It’s me, of course, you idiot.”

Much relieved, Clinton rushes back to call Gore and exclaims, “I know the answer, Al, I know who it is! It’s Colin Powell!”

And Gore replies in disgust, “Wrong, it’s Tony Blair.”