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The Speaker Gets the Symbolism
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2007 CommentAs the first-ever woman speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi understands the importance of symbols. And she was full of her trademark touches of style and substance last week as she took the gavel. Three examples: First, she's on a personal enviro-kick, asking her security detail to drive suvs that run on E20, a mix of 20 percent ethanol and 80 percent gas, insiders tell us. While E10 is more common, E20 is a long-term goal, but associates say she wants to speed up the shift and to lead by example. Despite her victory, it is a compromise: She initially asked for a hybrid Chevy Suburban. Second, that wasn't Lenten purple Pelosi wore the day she was sworn in. It was the color of the original suffragettes. And finally, as simply a nice act, she gave ex-House Speaker Dennis Hastert one of those coveted secret "hideaways" in the Capitol to use as his retreat.
With Kevin Whitelaw and Kenneth T. Walsh
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The Collapse of the CIA's 'Berlin Wall'
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2007 CommentWith the nation's spy agencies in full reform mode, the cia has finally torn down its own version of the Berlin Wall. For years, its 24-hour operations center had a wall running down the middle, separating the agency's analysts from its ultrasecret clandestine spooks. Not only did cia Director Gen. Michael Hayden remove the wall, but he invited in representatives from other intel agencies. The move kicks off a new four-year strategic plan for the cia.
With Kevin Whitelaw and Kenneth T. Walsh
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Time for Bush to Steer Noah's Ark
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2007 CommentSome major gestures of conciliation are due from President Bush, says Republican wordsmith and pollster Frank Luntz, who offers this suggestion for the State of the Union address Janu-ary 23: The prez should point out, by name, five Democratic legislators and five Republican legislators and praise them for a specific idea or piece of legislation for which he would request bipartisan support. Why? "So the American people see that the president is pulling ideas from both sides, not only Republicans and not only Democrats," adds the author of the new Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear. Luntz calls it the "Noah's Ark" strategy: Bush gets the message from the elections and is ready to lock arms with Dems.
With Kevin Whitelaw and Kenneth T. Walsh
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Only Newt Worries This Candidate
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2007 CommentIn a week when former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney joined the 2008 gop presidential primary race and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani started hiring aides to man his bid, allies of front-runner Sen. John McCain suggested that the guy he's most concerned about is former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The reason: While Giuliani and Romney are moving to the right, Gingrich is already there. But he's not that worried: Gingrich still hasn't decided to run, and it's getting late.
With Kevin Whitelaw and Kenneth T. Walsh
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Sen. Gobbledygook vs. Gov. Plain Talk
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2007 CommentThe new head of the National Governors Association, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, doesn't sound as if she likes either top 2008 presidential contender—Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton or Arizona favorite son John McCain. She clearly leans to those in her line of statehouse politics—the job most recent presidents have held. "The longer people are in Congress," she tells us, "the harder it is for them to speak in short, declarative sentences."
With Kevin Whitelaw and Kenneth T. Walsh
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Hardball Loves Rocky's Softball
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2007 CommentWe shouldn't be surprised that Chris Matthews, the jabbing host of msnbc's Hardball, is a fan of the heroic fighter Rocky series. "I saw the first one; I saw the third one. They were the really great ones," he tells us. So what's he think of the latest, Rocky Balboa? He loved it. "There were some great moments: When he talks to his son and says, 'You know, you were my dream when I held you in my hand when you were small, and then you grew up. But somewhere along the line, you began to look for an excuse for failure, and I'm your excuse.' It was unbelievable. It was so strong," coos Matthews. "The soliloquies—it's an odd word to use for Rocky—his soliloquies that [actor-director Sylvester Stallone] obviously wrote were fantastic," he says. "It was slow moving like all Rockys," adds the critic, "but at the end, it was unbelievable."
With Kevin Whitelaw and Kenneth T. Walsh
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Out Loud
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2007 Comment (1)"They have no answer to deal with how badly they have screwed it up."
Sen. Joe Biden, chairman of the Foreign Senate Committee, on the administration's handling of the war"One of the biggest acts of political malpractice in the history of American politics."
Terry McAuliffe, former Democratic Party chairman, on the bungled 2004 presidential campaign of Sen. John Kerry"My priorities are to hang out with my beloved wife (until she can't take it anymore! ;))."
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, in an E-mail on his future in politics which supporters hope will include a presidential bid"I'll never forget the trauma when Bambi's mother was shot."
Sen. John McCain, the GOP's 2008 presidential front-runner, discussing films that have had an impact on him.Sources: Washington Post, AP, New York Times, Variety
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Cartoon
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2007 Comment -
OMB Chief Wins in Battle Against More Tax Cuts
Tweet Share on Facebook January 4, 2007 CommentPresident Bush's new push for a balanced budget by 2012 is a victory for Rob Portman, director of the Office of Management and Budget, over others who had pushed for greater tax cuts, according to associates.
"Portman really wanted this," said one associate. Insiders said that the president and some of his political allies had hoped to push for deeper tax cuts in the next and future budgets, but the election of Democratic majorities in the House and Senate killed those plans. Now, according to the insiders, the president plans to submit a "flat" budget for fiscal 2008 that will leave little wiggle room for Democrats to add on new spending projects without deeply cutting into defense spending or raising taxes.
"It will hammer the Democrats," predicted one GOP budget expert. An administration official called the balanced-budget plan "a victory for taxpayers. We can balance the budget and make tax relief permanent, continue to restrain spending."
Aides said that to make it happen, the president will push for earmark reform–something the Democrats appear open to–and the line-item veto.
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Bush 41 Goes Bionic
Tweet Share on Facebook January 4, 2007 CommentChalk up another new hip for George H.W. Bush, the 41st president and dad of the current prez.
We hear that following the Washington funeral for former President Gerald Ford on Tuesday, Bush flew to Rochester, Minn.'s Mayo Clinic, where he underwent surgery the next morning, wrapping up by 7 a.m. His right hip was replaced. Mayo spokesman Adam Brase tells Whispers that the former Navy flyboy came through with flying colors and is already in physical therapy. He should be released later this week.
Hip surgery isn't new to the 82-year-old Republican. Back in 2000, he had his left hip replaced at Mayo. He has shown no ill effects from that replacement but it might be a while before Bush straps on his parachute and starts jumping out of airplanes again, we hear. But that's cool: This time of year he likes to surf fish anyway.
