Gerard Baker: finally, a British Tom Friedman?

From Crooked Timber:

"In the course of an article arguing that a large vote for Obama is not a vote for his policies (and, equally curiously, that the total and utter failure of conservative policies is not in and of itself a reason to try something else), Gerard Baker, who is to Thomas Friedman as Ricky Valance was to Richie Valens, says..." (emphasis mine).

Thomas Friedman is .. Richie Valens? Coincidentally, the publication of Tom's latest book is colloquially known as "The Day that Coherence Died", though these types of slurs on Tom's good name are repudiated by the fact of the mustache.