Is Tony Blair's Tan Fake?

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

College Students Concerned

A new poll by Harvard University (search) shows that America's college students are worried about the future of Social Security (search). In the poll, nearly 70 percent say they're concerned that Social Security will not be able to pay out benefits when they retire.

What's more, a majority — 52 percent — say they support reforming Social Security to allow for personal investment accounts. The results are even more remarkable given the make-up of those polled: there were three times more self-described liberals, than conservatives.

Tony’s Tan Fake?

Just before the first presidential debate last year, there was widespread speculation that John Kerry was sporting an artificial tan. And now, British tabloids are abuzz with allegations that British Prime Minister Tony Blair (search) has applied a fake tan of his own just two and half weeks before Britain's elections.

British papers say it's peculiar that Blair suddenly has what they called a "golden glow," a "freshly bronzed face," and a "tangerine appearance," even though they note he hasn't had a foreign vacation since Christmas. In fact, London's Daily Record says Blair was startled yesterday when a reporter asked him, "Where did you get that tan?" Blair, however, insists it's all-natural, telling reporters he got it "sitting out yesterday, working. You might have noticed it was a sunny day."

"Triumph of the Idiot Culture"?

Former Washington Post Reporter Carl Bernstein (search), who helped break the Watergate story says journalism nowadays is squandering the public's trust, insisting the "triumph of the idiot culture in news," particularly TV news, has weakened journalists' drive for the truth. At a press convention in Kansas, Bernstein said, "the consequences to a society that is misinformed and disinformed by the grotesque values of this idiot culture are truly perilous.”

"For the first time in our history,” he went on, “the weird, the stupid, the coarse, the sensational and the untrue are becoming our cultural norm — even our cultural ideal."

Town Clerk's Term Expired

Walt Weber's term as town clerk of Monticello, Wisconsin has expired, as have the terms of the town chairman, treasurer, and two supervisors. But there isn't anyone to take their places because the town forgot to hold an election. Totally, completely forgot.

The town should have held new elections two weeks ago when the polls were open for other balloting. Weber tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "We dropped the ball." But, he says no one was "trying to cover anything up." A special election is now scheduled for May 24.

— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report