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The Wall Is Attacked
Tweet Share on Facebook September 11, 2007 CommentWho Damaged 'the Wall'?
The U.S. Park Police are on the hunt for whoever sprayed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and paving stones with light oil last week. Jan Scruggs, head of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, says the oil was discovered Friday.
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Bush's Top Hog Rider Revs It Up for Safety
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2007 CommentThere's something about a Harley-Davidson that even top Bush aides like Chief of Staff Josh Bolten , Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, and others can't resist. "It's just the persona of that sound, that bike, that is so much a part of American culture," says Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, who owns two Harleys. "I try not to show too much bias," she says, "but it's pretty obvious with my [Harley] jacket, my boots, and my helmet." Now celebrating her one-year anniversary in office, Peters is using her passion for Hogs to aggressively push for greater motorcycle safety, especially among baby boomers flocking to Harley-Davidson dealers to relive their glory days. The problem: They are overwhelmingly crash prone. "They think their reflexes are as quick and their skills as good as they were 20 years ago, and they're not," she says.
"I'm probably emblematic of them," Peters confesses. She gave up Hogs to raise a family, then got the itch to ride after her kids left home, buying her dream bike in 2002: a pearl-white, 1,450-cc Fat Boy Softail. Despite lots of practice, she spilled in 2005 and now carries her damaged helmet to motorcycle conventions and dealers to plea for helmet use, safety equipment, and driver's ed. "Take personal responsibility for your safety," she tells boomers. "Don't just go to that dealer and hop on it."
JOE CIARDIELLO FOR USN & WR -
A General We Know: David Petraeus
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2007 CommentIraq war boss Gen. David Petraeus has become a household name. A new Winston Group poll finds he has a high—76 percent—name identification, boosting expectations for his upcoming report on the troop surge. "With that level of name ID," says Winston's Myra Miller, "people are aware of who he is and will be paying attention to his report."
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Hollywood With a Twang for GOP
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2007 CommentIt's not exactly Hollywood, but Branson, Mo., is becoming as valuable to Republican fundraisers as Tinseltown is to Democrats. With the 2008 presidential race underway, the Ozark entertainment mecca has seen a spike in donations to Republican contenders from big shots like crooner Andy Williams, who gave to Sen. John McCain, to Japanese fiddle star Shoji Tabuchi, a donor to the Republican Party. And apparently the word is getting out. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has hosted a fundraiser there, and newbie Fred Thompson is planning a visit.
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Clinton Endorses Edwards--Really
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2007 CommentIt's probably the oddest political sign in Iowa: "Bill Clinton endorses John Edwards." But there it is inside Edwards's campaign office in Carroll, Iowa. And while seemingly improbable, it's true. The twist: It's not that Bill Clinton, but William J. Clinton from nearby Lidderdale, Iowa. "Hello, I'm Bill Clinton," is how he recently introduced himself, whipping out his driver's license to prove it to our skeptical reporter.
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Family Ties Drive Civil War Effort
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2007 CommentAs a history buff and former Navy secretary, it shouldn't surprise many that Virginia Democratic Sen. Jim Webb is a fan of preserving Civil War battlefields. But there's something more. In explaining his push to extend the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program for an additional five years, he cites his lineage from a Confederate soldier who served under Gen. Stonewall Jackson: William John Jewell, injured twice before dying at Chancellorsville on May 3, 1863. "We must preserve these sites so that future generations might see and touch the very places where so many sacrifices were made, by soldiers and civilians alike, to settle the unresolved issues from the American Revolution of slavery and sovereignty," says Webb.
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Hillary's Blue-Ribbon Farm Day
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2007 CommentIt's that time of year again when lawmakers and top Hill aides eagerly await their invitation to what most call the best industry reception of the year: New York Farm Day, hosted by Sen. Hillary Clinton. "It's magical," says organizer Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation. Come September 18, the ornate Senate Caucus Room will be filled with fresh Empire State fruits and veggies, wines, and fancy restaurant finger food from the state's major farm regions. It's Clinton's ongoing bid to show that New York is more than Broadway and Times Square. "She's really become a missionary for us," says Trezise. What to look for: maple cream, blue potatoes, and Mercer's Riesling ice cream. Trezise says Clinton took a hesitant first taste of Mercer's port wine ice cream at a previous farm day, trying just a little spoonful. "Then she ate the whole thing," he says, "and came back for more."
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Applause for New Bush Flack Perino
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2007 CommentThey liked Tony Snow, but congressional spokespeople and communicators are also happy to see that former Hill aide Dana Perino has been tapped to replace the retiring spokesman. "Dana is very well liked and treats people on Capitol Hill with respect because she once worked there herself as a press secretary," says one GOP leadership aide. Another gushes: "She's the only one who always E-mails or calls back when I have a question." That may sound simple, but Republican Hill communicators have complained for years that the Bush PR shop infrequently reached out to its congressional counterparts.
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Newt Still Acts as GOP Cheerleader
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2007 CommentHe's been gone from the House for nearly a decade, but former Speaker Newt Gingrich remains the top internal booster for the beleaguered Republicans. Insiders report that Gingrich regularly blasts E-mails to House GOP leaders filled with new ideas and cheers for the whole Republican team. "Newt is the ultimate team player," says one of those who get the E-mails from Gingrich's AOL account. "They are great to get. He's a cheerleader for our side, and he boosts our morale with his E-mails. And he's got great ideas." However, he hasn't indicated in those E-mails if he plans to run for president.
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Out Loud: September 9, 2007
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2007 Comment (95)"We're kicking ass."
President Bush, to Australian Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile, when asked about his trip to Iraq en route to Sydney
"Thanks for the question, you little jerk. You're drafted."
Sen. John McCain, in a humorous response to a high schooler who asked if the 71-year-old Republican might die or get sick in office because of his age if elected president
"We have this ritual in the morning. They come in my bed, and Dad isn't there—because he's too snorey and stinky, they don't want to ever get into bed with him. But we cuddle up, and we talk about everything from what is a period to the big topic of when we get a dog: What kind?"
Michelle Obama, on mornings with her daughters and how she hopes they still view her as "just Mommy"
Sources: Sydney Morning Herald, New York Times, Glamour
