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7/14/06
Hurricane Hillary in Arkansas
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton hits Arkansas, her onetime home state, this weekend after a long absence. And don't think she isn't running for president. Tomorrow, she tours her and Bubba's old stomping grounds in northwest Arkansas to address Democratic women and then heads in the evening for an exclusive private event at pal Kaki Hockersmith's home in Little Rock. On Sunday, she visits her old church – First Methodist in Little Rock – for services. Our Suzi Parker has been told that there's been a concerted effort to keep other 2008 hopefuls, like former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner and populist Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, out of Arkansas until the Hillary appearance. "Some Dems want it to be Hillary and Clark territory," says one, referring to the former first lady and retired Gen. Wes Clark, a native.
7/7/06
Quiet the lame duck talk
President Bush is expanding plans to remain active in his last two years in office, scrapping what aides call the Clinton model of pushing an agenda of small initiatives to instead pursue elements of his original but stalled agenda. White House and congressional aides said the early plans for an active lame duck period from next year to the end of 2008 are being influenced by a growing expectation that the Republicans will retain the House and Senate in the midterm elections. "Clinton didn't have that advantage, so it will help us with the agenda," said a Bush adviser. "He is planning a bigger lame duck role in 2008, bigger than Clinton had," added the adviser. The list of topics on his agenda includes immigration and Social Security reform. But he also will push to expand the economy, grow jobs, and deal with the international crises in Iran and North Korea. Officials also think that the president will have a third Supreme Court vacancy to fill as well as dozens more federal court openings. "This is not a legacy-driven thing," said another insider. "We have our legacy. It's 9/11. This is an eventful presidency and it will continue to be one." The new push for a busy last two years is in part the inspiration of new Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, say the insiders. They are crediting him with sparking a new energy among senior staff and building better relations with House and Senate lawmakers who will be needed for the new agenda.
7/6/06
A most employable Bushie
He's the most celebrated speechwriter since Peggy Noonan, and now Mike Gerson is looking for work. But don't think just anybody can hire him. In fact, his friends say employers will have to get in line to woo him. That's not just because he's the wordsmith who wrote some of President Bush's most memorable lines and speeches but because he has also been one of the most influential Bush policymakers, working issues like Africa policy, AIDS, Social Security reform, and religion.
Gerson says his plans are to land a job at a major think tank or university, then write regularly. "That's what I do," he says. One suggestion, says a pal: Hook up with Stanford University's Hoover Institution or the American Enterprise Institute and then write for the Weekly Standard.
Gerson, who once toiled at U.S. News & World Report, says that his life changed radically when he walked out the White House gate for good. "It's a different life," he says. "The first thing you notice is that when you see the news, you don't have to respond." Of course, that can be frustrating, he adds. Plus, he's no longer chained to the White House cellphone or BlackBerry.
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