My guess is Fitzgerald is going for Rove saddlebags (ala Tom Wolfe)

[xray s]

If you never read 'Man In Full' by Tom Wolfe, you need to check out this chapter...I think it may define what 'ol Turd Blossom will be going through...

http://www.bookbrowse.com/excerpts/index.cfm?book_number=437

...Peepgass noticed that the first little dark crescents of sweat were beginning to form on Croker's shirt, beneath his arms.

Seeing that Croker was once again speechless, Harry chose this moment to take off his jacket. He stood up and removed it very slowly. Peepgass knew what was coming. This was always a great touch.

In the process of taking his jacket off, the Artiste thrust his thick chest forward. Running down it were a pair of suspenders. They were broad and black, these suspenders, and even at the other end of the table you couldn't miss the motif embroidered on them in dead white: the skull and crossbones, repeated over and over.

As for Charlie Croker the shitheads, Peepgass had observed, always pretended they hadn't noticed the damnable death's-head suspenders; although later, if they were in any mood to reminisce, they would invariably ask about the suspenders and inquire if this had been a calculated gesture on the Artiste's part or if he just happened to be wearing a pair of skull-and-crossbones suspenders. Croker did the usual. He tried to act as if he hadn't noticed. He looked away and scanned the room. . . but of course there was no relief there, just more of the cheap and seedy details, the Streptolon carpet, the synthetic furniture, the no smoking signs, the glare, the dying dracaena, the vile cinnamon-Cheddar coffee buns on the paper plates . . .

The little crescents of sweat under the tycoon's arms, Peepgass now noticed, had become full half-moons.

[clydefrand]

1. The little crescents of sweat under the tycoon's arms,

That could be Bush! I've seen his crescents of sweat! I hope they both have to go and the sooner the better.

[Mist]

2. I agree-they'll "sweat" Rove as hard as they can-he's the linchpin

BTW, 'A Man in Full' was Wolfe's best novel, IMO. I read it twice!

[Gabi Hayes]

3. Wolfe jumped shark when he started with fiction

Bonfire was enough for me


he's become a Dirty old wingnut in his senescence

can't write so hot, either, compared to his earlier masterworks

[Mist]

4. Please give 'A Man in Full' a try--it's quite good! I agree that there's

a dirty old man component to him these days--really showed in Charlotte Simmons.