Gore wuz robbed!

Not in Florida, despite the fantasies of the unwashed, but in Italy - Gore wishes he'd had protection:

One in the eye for those of us who tease politicians for self-importantly retaining their security guards long after leaving office.

Al Gore recently went on holiday to Italy, having decided - for the first time since becoming Vice-President in 1992 - to travel without the services of his heavies.

His reward? "The Gores were robbed while staying in a luxurious villa in Castellina," says my man in Chiantishire. "One of the neighbours went in to sympathise, and Al told him that the thieves had taken about £25,000 worth of valuables. Apparently, he was going on and on about what a fool he'd been for leaving his bodyguards behind."

That's a lot of loot to have on a vacation, especially for a guy who until recently never had anything but government job. I wonder if Al was picking up or delivering?