Entries for November 29, 2006

The Mitt Romney hiring machine continues to plow through Washington. It's latest pick: Kevin Madden, the battle-tested spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner. Even if you don't know his name, you've seen his work. Of note: He was the Bush-Cheney '04 New England press coordinator, worked for the troublesome Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, jumped to Rep. Tom DeLay's operation before the Texan was sent packing and handled the Rep. Mark Foley page scandal. We hear he told Boehner last night about the new job and plans to move to Boston in two weeks, where Romney is setting up shop in the Italian North End. It could be awkward: The Irishman is a Yankees fan.

Senior administration officials are working on what one dubbed a "big, big" agenda the president plans to unveil at the start of the new year via the budget and State of the Union address.

Most of the issues have already been revealed, but what one insider said is new is just how hard the president plans to work to win passage of a minimum wage bill, broad immigration reform, reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, and entitlement reform.