Does GOP need a political-change operation?

SO who do you think is the most celebrated Republican public figure in the United States these days? Former president George W Bush? His brother and former Florida governor Jeb Bush who is about to announce his run for the 2016 presidency? The other Republican presidential candidates who are running next year?

Actually, the most famous Republican at this time is not a politician or a statesman but a 66-year-old woman who goes by the name of Caitlyn Jenner. She appeared on a provocative photo spread ("Call me Caitlyn"), shot by the renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, on this month's cover of Vanity Fair magazine, which also included a long interview with the attractive Ms Jenner.

Ms Jenner? Well, if you were not in a coma in the last few weeks, you probably recognise her - or him - as the former William Bruce Jenner, the ex-college football star and Olympic track and field champion who was married for 22 years to Kris Jenner (formerly Kardashian). And you may recall that the couple and their children appeared a few months ago in the television reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians.