Okay, it’s the last day of voting in our scientific Coolest Leader Dude poll, designed to confer that title on one international leader - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Britain’s Prince Charles, or U.S. President Barack Obama.

I must warn you that after a week of balloting, Charles has a massive lead. I plan to spend my whole weekend cooking the results, but I do need something to work with, like a couple of votes for Obama or Putin.

Today we’re looking at the three nominees in hats, which can make a guy look very cool if it’s chosen right and worn well.

For want of official names, we’ll refer to this headgear as Obama’s Indiana Jones hat, Putin’s Aussie bush bonnet and Charles’ uh, groom-on-the-wedding-cake thingy.

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Above: Britain’s Prince Charles attends the first day of the Royal Ascot race meeting, June 16, 2009. REUTERS/ Eddie Keogh

Left upper: U.S. President Barack Obama tours the Egyptian Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx in this handout photo taken June 4, 2009. REUTERS/Pete Souza/The White House/Handout

Left lower: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin fishes in the Yenisei River in Siberia in a 2007 file photo. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/KREMLIN

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We’re almost done with our week-long scientific poll to determine which of three international figures - Britain’s Prince Charles, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama - will be named Coolest Leader Dude.

So far, Charles is confounding the bookmakers by being far ahead in the reader poll.

Today we look at how a cool leader handles a specific requirement of office, consuming ice cream in public to appear to be a man of the people.

Putin goes after the whole thing at once, so he can get back to wrestling a killer shark or whatever. Obama eats his methodically; no drip, no waste, no looking uncool with rivulets of sticky waste cascading down his chin.

And Charles, who apparently has never seen the curious icy substance, is jamming it up his nose just to be a jolly good sport.

Over to you, readers. Vote early and often, and tell your friends to do the same.

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Top: Britain’s Prince Charles smells a spoon full of ice cream in a 2004 file photo. REUTERS/Barry Batchelor

Left upper: Russian President Vladimir Putin eats an ice cream in a 2000 file photo. REUTERS/ Alexander Natruskin

Left lower: U.S. President Barack Obama eats an ice cream in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, August 15, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing

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Today we continue our scientific poll to find which international figure - U.S. President Barack Obama, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin or Britain’s Prince Charles - will be named the Coolest Leader Dude.

While I am absolutely neutral on this issue, I must point out that Charles has taken a disturbing and baffling lead in early voting, heading toward a result that could be an affront to all mankind.

Today’s photo selection shows the nominees interacting with horses and camels, which are two very cool animals.

Please get everyone you know to participate in this important survey.

Those of you tempted to try casting multiple votes should be aware there’s no way on God’s green earth our polling software will catch you.

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Above: Then U.S. Senator Barack Obama holds a camel at an animal market in Wajid, Kenya, in a 2006 file photo. August 27, 2006. REUTERS/Daud Yussuf

Right upper: Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin rides a horse in southern Siberia’s Tuva region, August 3, 2009. REUTERS/ RIA Novosti/Pool/Alexei Druzhinin

Right lower: Britain’s Prince Charles makes a face as he walks cautiously past a Clydesdale horse, in a 2000 file photo. REUTERS photo.

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As I hope you recall, I am conducting a scientific reader poll to decide which of several world figures - U.S. President Barack Obama, Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Britain’s Prince Charles - is the Coolest Leader Dude.

It’s not like I especially care or anything, but all the other poll questions have already been taken.

So this week I’m running daily random photos of these guys, so you can make an informed decision based on sunglasses, hats and attitude and stuff.

One hard thing about being a cool leader is not being eclipsed by cool Hollywood celebs. If you can seem cool next to folks who make movies, you’re well on your way to being the Coolest Leader Dude.

So here we have our nominees alongside famous actors George Clooney, Jack Nicholson and, um, Eric Idle, who happens to be in drag. Whatever.

If you’ve aleady voted, well, vote again. I frankly don’t have any way to stop you. And feel free to share this post with large Facebooks groups, like Hannah Montana, with 490,000 fans, and the U.S. Postal Service, with its 512 fans.

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Above: Actor George Clooney alongside Senator Barack Obama in a 2006 file photo. REUTERS/ Jason Reed

Right top: Actor Jack Nicholson talks to the Russian President Vladimir Putin in a 2001 file photo. REUTERS/Itar Tass

Right bottom: Britain’s Prince Charles meets British actor Eric Idle (L) in a 2008 file photo. REUTERS/Alastair Grant/Pool

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I comb through stories, photos and video from all over the world to bring you the news you need, and lately I am noticing a definite trend.

The world’s important dudes are fighting a nonstop battle for the coolest image.

The power of a major action may be dwarfed by a single photo of a leader looking macho.

So, I’ve pulled a few totally random shots of U.S. President Barack Obama, Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Britain’s Prince Charles, to get your feedback on who’s winning the 2009 Coolest Dude race.

Readers, who makes a pair of sunglasses work?

Who looks best at a sporting event, wearing a hat, and so on?

Cast your votes, and let the raging testosterone surge!

Coming tomorrow: Photos of Putin wrestling a tiger, Obama climbing a vertical rock wall and Prince Charles eating a crumpet.

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Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama and Prince Charles. REUTERS photos

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Quick quiz: In this photo on the right, President Obama is saying to the Kroger manager…

• “Five bucks for clementines? I pay $3.99 at the Safeway near the White House!
• “What the frick is a clementine?”
• “Do you sell these things in heavy syrup in a can?
• “I’m thinkin’ of gettin’ these for my death panels. You know how many pounds it takes to kill a really old person?”

Actually, the most interesting thing that happened at that Kroger visit was when Obama took a piece of fruit and ate it in front of everybody. The White House said he paid for it “seconds later.”

Well, maybe so, but I’ve tried the old, “Oh, I was GONNA pay you for that six-pound Cadbury bar I ate in aisle four,” and guess how well it worked for ME?

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Above: President Barack Obama holds a town hall meeting about health care at the Kroger Supermarket in Bristol, Virginia, July 29, 2009.

Right: Obama holds up a piece of fruit after biting into it.

REUTERS photos by Larry Downing

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Hey Blog Guy, sometimes I see funny stuff in the news and I’m sure you’ll use it in your blog, but then you don’t. Do you take bribes to ignore certain things?

Well sure, but folks don’t try to bribe me nearly often enough, even though it’s not hard to do. The truth is, I ignore some stuff because it’s just too obvious, and I do have some pride.

For instance, see this shot below of President Obama? It’s a very funny photo, so I didn’t use it. I’ll leave it to the hacks.

And then there was a story about a widow selling her husband’s burial spot directly above Marilyn Monroe’s crypt. Give me a break.

Sure, some guys went with headlines like Want to Lie with Marilyn Monroe Forever? or The Long Sleep, with Marilyn Monroe… Let ‘em do that if they want.

But you won’t see some cheesy Monroe movie reference like “Gentlemen Prefer Bones” under some smirking double entendre headline here, not as long as Bob Basler is doing this blog!

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Above: The crypts of Marilyn Monroe and Richard Poncher are pictured in Westwood, California August 17, 2009. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Below: President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Freedom to Joe Medicine Crow - High Bird during a ceremony in the East Room at the White House, August 12, 2009. REUTERS/Jim Young

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Okay, here is a remarkable shot of Barack and Michelle Obama together.

I mean, to me it looks like all of a sudden he shifted from being the president into some kind of Rodney Dangerfield stand-up routine, and Michelle is horrified and doesn’t know how to react.

“I tell ya, my wife, she can’t cook.  At my house, we pray AFTER we eat!”

“Barack, what are you doing? You’re supposed to be talking about U.S.-China relations…”

“My wife here, she’s so slow it takes her an hour and a half to watch ’60 Minutes…’”

“Uh, darling, can I see you in the hallway for a minute?”

“Thanks, folks, you’ve been a wonderful audience. I’ll be here all week.”

“Not necessarily, dearest, if you make one more of those stupid wife jokes…”

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U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama participate in a reception for ambassadors at the White House in Washington, July 27, 2009. REUTERS/Jason Reed

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Blog Guy, I see footage of the Secret Service guarding President Obama. It looks like a HUGE task. Has any country found a better way to protect its leaders?

A good question. Yes, of all places, Russia has. Their President, Dmitry Medvadev, protects himself.

Excuse me?

As you can see here, he takes an arsenal everyplace he goes. It seems to do the trick. He carries rifles, pistols, hand grenades, a flame-thrower, and has a Bowie knife clenched in his teeth, except when he’s giving a speech.

That’s positively amazing! What a cool guy!.That’s the kind of leader WE need. I’m running over to get that guy’s autograph!

Uh, I wouldn’t if I were you.

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Top: Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev takes aim during a visit to the Rayevsky firing range in Novorossiisk in the Southern Federal District, July 14, 2009. REUTERS/ RIA Novosti/ Kremlin/Vladimir Rodionov

Left: Medvedev holds a Kalashnikov rifle in a 2008 file photo. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool

Left bottom: Medvedev takes aim while on his trip to Russia’s southern region of Dagestan June 9, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/ Mikhail Klimentyev

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Blog Guy, I know you’ve written books about presidential protocol and tradition, and I want to make sure I have this right. President Barack Obama is the commander-in-chief, so everybody has to salute him and he doesn’t have to salute anyone, right?

No, that’s a common misconception.

Really! Who does he have to salute?

For starters, anyone who is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, as you can see here.

I didn’t know! Who else?

All Heisman Trophy winners, as long as they’re not in prison.

And?

The Maitre d’ at Citronelle restaurant in DC, and Ms. Doris Johnson of 2268 Elm Street in Muncie, plus the  original members of The Eagles when they’re on tour, and the…

Blog Guy, I’m skeptical. Where are you getting this list?

Are you kidding? It’s in the U.S. Constitution. Or you can read my Wikipedia piece called, “Meet Don Henley, Mr. President.”

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Above: President Barack Obama salutes St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame baseball player Lou Brock after throwing out the first pitch prior to the start of Major League Baseball’s All-Star game in St. Louis, July 14, 2009. REUTERS/Morry Gash/Pool

Right: Obama salutes Hall of Fame players before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. REUTERS/Mike Stone

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