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Cartoon: June 27, 2008
Tweet Share on Facebook June 27, 2008 Comment (25) -
Don't Blame Biofuels for High Chicken Prices
Tweet Share on Facebook June 26, 2008 Comment (3)
It's a smear against corn farmers, they say. So the New Fuels Alliance and FoodPriceTruth.org are mounting a campaign to push back on charges in the media and on Capitol Hill that biofuels that use corn and other agricultural products are the reason food prices are up. "The biggest reason food prices are through the roof is because gas prices are through the roof," says Brook Coleman of New Fuels. Is it a vicious circle? Well, sure, but Coleman is working overtime to get everyone to stop pointing at farmers. So today the groups unveiled a website and posted a typical July 4th menu that suggests other reasons are to blame for higher supermarket prices. Take the skyrocketing price of chicken. We all see it, and Coleman also says we see the reason: Gas prices are high, and chicken is shipped in from rural states. Fruit prices are up, but not because apples are going into our gas tanks. Coleman cites a shrinking labor force and higher diesel prices. Read the campaign's release to Washington Whispers here.
Congress has raised some questions about the impact of biofuels on consumer food bills, so in response, the website is hosting lawmakers and their aides at a picnic tonight to spell out the benefits of making gas out of corn.
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Planned Parenthood Pushes Back On Ministers' Claims
Tweet Share on Facebook June 26, 2008 Comment (1)
Within an hour of our posting yesterday about a group of African-American ministers planning to protest at Democratic and Republican headquarters and demand that candidates refuse to accept Planned Parenthood donations, the abortion rights group denied that its $10 million election fund was going to specific candidates. "Regarding our $10 million campaign, it's more accurate to say it's a grass-roots effort to educate voters on women's health issues and bring 1 million pro-choice and pro-women's healthcare voters to the polls," says spokesman Tait Sye. In their release, the black ministers said that they want to force candidates to refuse Planned Parenthood money because racist donors could ask that it be spend only on abortions for blacks. Says Sye, "That money is not going to fund candidates. It's for voter education and outreach." He included this press release about the program.
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The Only Baseball All-Star Party in D.C.
Tweet Share on Facebook June 25, 2008 Comment
Even though we're usually out of town when it happens, there is nothing better than getting the invitation to the annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game party thrown by GOP wordsmith and pollster Frank Luntz. This party, the seventh, will be on July 15 at his McLean home, which is like a museum to American culture where the stuff on the floors and walls is usually more interesting than the game. This year, Luntz debuts stuff like John Wayne's Green Beret shirt and a letter about Reconstruction from Ulysses Grant. But it's the top 10 reasons for attending that he listed on the invitation that caught our attention this year:
TOP 10 REASONS TO ATTEND:
No. 10: Watch backyard whiffleball pitting Eliot Spitzer's " dates " against Roger Clemens's "girlfriends."
No. 9: Hear Dick Cheney mutter, "So?" after a game-winning grand slam.
No. 8: John McCain gets Cubs and White Sox mixed up for the fifth time, prompting Joe Lieberman to correct him.
No. 7: Hillary Clinton promises to take the losing team with her all the way to Denver.
No. 6: Barbara Boxer...Barbara Mikulski...slippery slide...need I say more?
No. 5: For kicks, let's see if an ice sculpture of Al Gore can survive nine innings.
No. 4: Frank will confidentially announce his prediction of who will win last year's Super Bowl. He will be wrong...again.
No. 3: Get advance copies of Scott McClellan's new book, Out of Left Field: My Totally Unprovoked Revolt Against My Favorite National Pastime and Rant Against a Bunch of Rumored Steroid Users.
No. 2: During the seventh-inning stretch, sing along with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's special rendition of "God Damn America."
No. 1: See this year's baseball All-Stars before they become next year's congressional witnesses.
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Abortion Moves Back Into Political Spotlight With Black Minister Protest
Tweet Share on Facebook June 25, 2008 Comment (7)
Race and abortion politics will merge Thursday when a group of African-American pastors, led by the niece of Martin Luther King Jr., march on the Democratic and Republican Party headquarters to demand that candidates refuse donations from Planned Parenthood. The reason: They believe that Planned Parenthood allows racist donors to designate that their money go to fund abortions of blacks. Planned Parenthood has outlined a $10 million campaign to fund candidates who support abortion. But the ministers say they have evidence in videos that African-American babies are being targeted. The group tells Washington Whispers that it is circulating two YouTube videos in which a racist donor wins agreement from Planned Parenthood workers to have his donation designated for blacks. A similar protest took place in front of Planned Parenthood in Washington in April.
In two statements to Whispers, Planned Parenthood pushed back against the charges, claiming that they were the target of "phishing" by those trying to trip up local office workers and also that they abhor racism. Planned Parenthood does not deny the authenticity of the videos but claims they are edited to portray them badly.
On the issue of racism, they said: "Planned Parenthood does not tolerate racism of any kind. For more than 90 years, Planned Parenthood has worked to address racial and economic bias in access to healthcare and ensure that all women receive care. We are committed to providing basic and preventative health services to women, men, and teens, especially in underserved communities."
With regard to the YouTube videos, the group said: "Planned Parenthood has been the target of an undercover sting operation by anti-choice extremists who have secretly tape recorded Planned Parenthood employees appearing to be complicit in racist donations. In a few cases, local fundraising staff struggled with how to respond professionally to a very unprofessional call. We have taken action to ensure that all of our employees understand their responsibility to communicate clearly with donors about the fact that we do not accept donations from people or organizations whose values are opposed to ours."
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Be Nice. It's W's Birthday
Tweet Share on Facebook June 25, 2008 CommentIt's not exactly the card a lot of Americans would send to President Bush on his 62nd birthday, but the Republican National Committee is at least making it easy for fans and others to send their wishes to the White House. As you can see below, the RNC sent us the tasteful E-card, which it calls a "unique celebration." Just what's unique is unclear, other than the invitation to send the RNC a dollar for every year W has been on Earth. And if there was ever an example of how Sen. John McCain is tied to the president, consider the use for the $62 in the third paragraph of the pitch.
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Democrats Detour Bush's Legacy Express
Tweet Share on Facebook June 24, 2008 Comment (2)
A rolling museum of the bad parts of President Bush's eight-year legacy hit the road today in the form of a 28-ton, 45-foot bus that plans to hit the hometown of every House and Senate Republican who has voted with the president at least 90 percent of the time. First stops: the Dayton, Ohio, district of House Minority Leader John Boehner, and Louisville, Ky., where Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell grew up. "We're going to expose what you get with a conservative government," said Brad Woodhouse, president of Americans United for Change, which decorated the bus in a plastic wrap that screamed "The Bush Legacy" and built a timeline inside to highlight some of the administration's issues—and blunders. Among the highlights: Boots worn by National Guard Sgt. Patrick McCaffrey, killed by the Iraqi forces he was training. The reason was kept from his parents for over a year. Tour spokeswoman Julie Blust, pictured above with another bus exhibit, said that McCaffrey's mom gave the group her son's boots because "she just wanted his story out there." The bus will be on tour through the fall presidential campaign and will visit at least 150 cities.
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Pelosi on Sexism and Clinton's Run for President
Tweet Share on Facebook June 24, 2008 Comment (11)Sen. Hillary Clinton has complained of "sexist" treatment from pundits, the media, and others during her failed presidential bid. But the highest-ranking woman in government in U.S. history isn't sure.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at a breakfast with reporters, was asked whether sexism played a significant role in Clinton's defeat in the nomination contest. "Is there sexism? Probably so. Is it responsible for the defeat? I really wouldn't have all of the information to know that. But I do think that being a woman had a positive upside in the campaign—probably offset by more sexism, I don't know."
Pelosi, who as chair of the upcoming Democratic national political convention did not take sides in the hard-fought primary, noted that Clinton got a boost from being a woman since she drew female supporters "wildly enthusiastic" about her candidacy, talent, intellect, commitment, and stamina.
The California lawmaker added: "I'm a victim of sexism myself all the time, but I just think it goes with the territory. I myself find that I get a tremendous upside being a woman, and I don't spend a lot of time worrying about sexist remarks that people make."
For now, she'll let scholars examine the question, since she's picked up her helmet and shield to bolster Democrats' 236-to-199 House majority. As to whether sexism sank Senator Clinton, Pelosi demurred. "I'll be more interested in that after November," she remarked. "I'm in the arena right now."
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Can Congress Save the Little Honey Bee?
Tweet Share on Facebook June 24, 2008 Comment (3)
The House this week joins the Senate in considering the plight of the tiny honey bee. In advance of a House hearing on the status of colony collapse disorder, the name given to the disappearing bee syndrome, some 21 House and Senate Democrats and Republicans will join Burt's Bees and Häagen Dazs Wednesday at a conference to air the problems facing the bee. Right smack in the middle of National Pollinator Week, the event on Capitol Hill will feature lawmakers interested in the bee, like Sen. Hillary Clinton and House Agriculture Committee's Rep. Dennis Cardoza, the nation's bee man, the Agriculture Department's Jeff Pettis, and supporters from Häagen Dazs and Burt's Bees. Afterward, Häagen Dazs's new vanilla honey bee ice cream will be served and Burt's "Help Honey Bees" lip balm will be offered.
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Two pictures of George H.W. and Barbara Bush's New Grill
Tweet Share on Facebook June 23, 2008 Comment (7)
We told you recently that former President Bush is a big fan of Houston's Pitts & Spitts custom barbecue makers. He loves their grills and smokers—even shops for them himself—and sometimes stops in to buy rubs and sauces.
Well, the gang in Houston just E-mailed us some pictures of the president and wife Barbara with the special salt-air-proof stainless grill they made for Bush's oceanfront Kennebunkport, Maine, summer home. Bush dubs it "Grilling by the Sea," and he looks mighty comfy on his deck standing with the grill and nearby cooler, probably filled with Miller Lite.
We suggest that because I remember being at a Bush barbecue while covering his presidency where he drank one can of Lite and had another in his fishing coat.
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