Mike was driving the kids to a birthday party recently, and Kaylee and Colleen were arguing over who got tohold the Kelly Clarkson CD. (The car is a prime fighting arena; no matter what, there is always *something* to argue about.) Tommy, rather than fueling the fire (as is his expertise), decided to help the situation.

“Colleen, why don’t you hold the case on the way to the party, and Kaylee can hold it all the way home.” (This worked.)

“Wow, Tommy,” Mike marvelled, “That was a great compromise.”

“Yeah. I’m James Madison.”

“Whaaa?”

“You know, James Madison. The Great Compromiser.”

As Mike praised Tommy’s applied knowledge (and I breathed a sigh of relief about how Tommy’s New Nation test went), Colleen thought for a moment. Then she blurted out, “OK. Then I’m Kelly Clarkson!”