I will destroy the LDP

Who would have ever imagined it would be Fukuda Yasuo who would fulfill Koizumi Jun'ichirō's pledge to the nation?

And so soon?

Have you ever seen such a carnival of gruesomeness, political and otherwise? The new party leadership lineup is a veritable cabal most hideous, the least attractive political convocation since the Ugliest Golf Foursome Ever of Waseda-grads-and-LDP-rejects held late last year.

Ibuki Bunmei as Secretary-General

The good news: he will no longer inflicting his nationalist authoritarian idealism upon the Ministry of Education--and by extension upon the nation's children. Bad news: for the rest of us--not much. For the party---aaiiiiaaaah!

For extra credit: try not think of Gumby when you see Ibuki's hair.

Tanigaki Sadakazu as Chairman of the Policy Research Council

How to put it nicely?

Tanigaki Sadakazu gives to any organization he is put in charge of what Michael Corleone gives to his brother Fredo in the Havana party scene in Godfather II.

Loves his work, Tanigaki does. Loves it to death.

Look out PARC. You're going fishing.

Koga Makoto as Director, Elections Strategy Headquarters, General Affairs

Does Fukuda owe him money?

In terms of physical appearance and posture, Koga is the one for whom the adjective "thuggish" was coined. He is the Prince of Darkness Nonaka Hiromu's political heir, for Amaterasu's sake.

I have nothing bad or silly to say about Nikai or Ōshima...but looking at the above group photo, all I can think is:

"Wow, this just screams, 'We really intend to lose the next election...by a HUGE margin.'"