As far as I can tell, this story out of Kiev, Ukraine is on the level — though I suspect more than a few Ukrainians wish it wasn’t. The mayor of the city, Leonid Chernovetsky, has political style that few American politicians could pull off. Well, okay, Chernovetsky doesn’t really pull it off, either. Facing massive fiscal woes and corruption allegations, the mayor staged a media event that put even Sobbin’ Mark Sanford to shame:

After jogging and doing 15 chin-ups, he stripped down to a Speedo and swam 15 meters. “I want to demonstrate to the whole world that I am absolutely fit physically and mentally,” he announced.
A millionaire businessman and evangelical Christian, Mr. Chernovetsky has gained a reputation for wacky ideas. With Kiev facing an economic crisis, Chernovetsky proposed charging fees to enter cemeteries, selling his kisses in a raffle, and selling burial plots for frogs.
When thousands gathered outside his offices to protest corruption, he entertained them with a song and announced that he was launching a singing career. “I will make millions of dollars per day. Because who sings better than I do? No one does, except God,” he enthused.

The lesson? If a politician is going to disgrace himself, he should at least make a good show of it. Come on, American pols, rise to the challenge!