The UK's Telegraph has ranked "The most influential U.S. conservatives" and though Drew is not a conservative, there he is riding high in the list. A snippet:
38. JACK ABRAMOFF Former lobbyist
Currently serving a sentence of five years and 10 months in jail after pleading guilty to charges of corruption and defrauding American-Indian tribes, Abramoff went from being the go-to Republican lobbyist in Washington to "Jack who?" as his former associates sought to deny they knew him.
Ordered to pay restitution of more than $21 million, his case sparked an extensive corruption investigation that led to the conviction of two White House officials, a congressman and nine other lobbyists and congressional aides. The stench of corruption was a key factor in the Republican mid-term elections defeat of 2006. Abramoff's unwelcome—for Republicans—influence will continue into 2008.
39. DREW CAREY Comedian and actor
A libertarian more than a conservative, Carey, presenter of "Whose Line is it Anyway?", has been coy about any connection to the Republican party -which can be the kiss of death in Hollywood. "Just because I make fun of Democrats doesn't make me a Republican," he quipped recently when asked about his politics.
Has aligned himself with the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank which has started an online series called The Drew Carey Project. Held a "smoke-in" in 1998 to defy anti-smoking laws and has spoken out against the Iraq war. Embracing the libertarian label, he said: 'You don't know what you are sometimes until someone puts a name to it."
40. DAVID FRUM Writer
Canadian journalist and former speechwriter to George W Bush who helped craft the "axis of evil" phrase. An ally of the neo-conservative Richard Perle, he has been a prominent support of the war against terror and a convinced hawk on the Middle East. Prolific blogger on National Review Online.
Has just written a book on the future of conservatism, to be published in December, entitled: Comeback: Conservatism That Can Win Again. An American Enterprise Institute scholar, Frum recently became a foreign policy adviser to Rudy Giuliani and could well return to the White House in a Giuliani administration.
