Sunday, January 28, 2024

Mandy Rice-Davies Moment Ahead: "Biden Adviser Sees Limited Inflation Impact From Red Sea Attacks"

Mandy Rice-Davies [was] a former model and showgirl known for her role in the Profumo affair.
When informed by the prosecuting attorney that Lord Astor disputed her version of events and denied having an affair she responded:

"Well, he would, wouldn't he?"

From Bloomberg via gCaptain, January 28:

President Joe Biden’s energy security adviser said the impact of Houthi rebel attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea is limited and pledged continued US action to curb the Iranian-backed group’s ability to disrupt markets.

Cost pressures have been more on logistics than on energy commodities, Amos Hochstein said on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday. “The costs do go up,” Hochstein said. “But if you look at what they impact, the inflationary impacts are relatively muted.” 

Two months of missile, drone and hijacking attacks against civilian ships in the Red Sea have caused the biggest diversion of international trade in decades, pushing up global shipping costs and forcing hundreds of cargo ships to take alternative routes. Yet oil prices are lower than on Oct. 7 when an attack by Hamas militants on Israel triggered a war between the two sides....

....MORE

The introduction was from 2012's "Mandy Rice-Davies Sighting at FT Alphaville":

Mandy Rice-Davies is a former model and showgirl known for her role in the Profumo affair.
When informed by the prosecuting attorney that Lord Astor disputed her version of events and denied having an affair she responded:

"Well, he would, wouldn't he?"
From the FT Alphaville post:
Spooks on the payrolls

...The report slipped out onto the DOL website this week. The Associated Press and Bloomberg have already torn it apart. But then, they would....
To the best of my knowledge, Mr. Cotterill is not a former model and showgirl.

We are keepers of the M.R-D flame:
Mandy Rice-Davies Alert: Christina Romer Says Maximum Tax Revenue at 84% Marginal Rate
She would, wouldn't she.*

*For British politicians of a certain age [often referred to as octo or nona-genarians -ed] the scandal surrounding Secretary of State for War John Profumo's affair with the alleged mistress of a Russian spy was highlighted by the testimony of Miss Rice-Davies, a friend of the alleged mistress, Christine Keeler.
From Wikipedia:
While giving evidence at the trial of Stephen Ward, charged with living off the immoral earnings of Keeler and Rice-Davies, the latter made a famous riposte. When the prosecuting counsel pointed out that Lord Astor denied an affair or having even met her, she replied, "Well, he would, wouldn't he?"
We've tried to keep the phrase alive, using it about once per year:

2007
Gore Says Markets are Key in Battle to Combat Climate Change
"Well, he would, wouldn't he?"
Mandy Rice Davies*
2007
ICE, Skating on Thin
TESTIMONY OF JEFFREY C. SPRECHER CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, INTERCONTINENTALEXCHANGE, INC.

Warning: Mandy Rice-Davies moment ahead.
"...we do not believe that a complete overhaul of the current regulatory structure is either warranted or advisable."
2008
UN Can Regulate Emissions Trading Without Conflict of Interest
All together now: A Mandy Rice-Davies Moment!*
2009
Major Problems at California's Public Pension Fund, CalPERS And: A Mandy Rice-Davies Moment!
One of these days I'll have to tell the story of how CalPERS got to this point. It is an ugly tale. For now we'll just post the slow motion train wreck.
On a positive note: Mandy Rice-Davies* moment ahead!  
One of my favorite usages:
Lord McIntosh of Haringey:  My Lords, I am proud of many things that this Government have done. I pause to anticipate the interjection—"He would say that, wouldn't he?"...
Lords Hansard text for 6 Feb 2002