Lounging by a pool in the Hamptons in a leopard-skin swimsuit, with her flaxen hair gathered in bunches, Paris Hilton this week gave her tart response to being dragged into the US presidential campaign by John McCain. In a recent advertisement entitled “Celebrity”, his campaign used images of her in an attempt to associate Barack Obama, his rival, with vacuous celebrities.

“I’m not from the olden days and I’m not promising change like that other guy. I’m just hot,” she said to the camera, with her combination of baby-doll sweetness and sassy knowingness. “I want America to know that I’m, like, totally ready to lead.”