Air Kerry: Nonunion and previously Air Bush
Oilman To Oilman
Libya, Washington's new friend, wants to send an ambassador who can talk the talk with President Bush. We learn that Tripoli will most likely dispatch Abdulhafid M. Zlitni, until recently the chairman of Libya's National Oil Corp. He's also an ex-banker, trade minister, and economic reformer, but officials expect him to use his oil know-how to woo American firms to the country.
Out Of The Bunker
Look for Vice President Dick Cheney to give reporters a little more access as the campaign heats up. His advisers tell us that they've been pleased with the coverage of his recent outings. "The more reporters get to see him up close," says one, "the more appealing he is." But Cheney has his limits. Insiders say he won't feed stories about himself, only those about his boss.
The Dope On Bush
Foes of steroid use have high hopes that Senate hearings will review charges that the White House cut funding to fight steroid use even as it was making a big deal about the issue. Sen. John McCain is expected to call hearings to delve into the issue before the Summer Olympic Games. Look for him to work with the World Anti-Doping Agency, which says the administration reduced its promised payment for WADA's effort to stop steroid use. Also, we hear that major sports stars dragged into the controversy hope to get a chance to deny they're on "the juice."
Terrorist Porn?
Dan Parisi has a problem. He has received three bids of over $2 million each for his porn site Whitehouse.com, but the buyers won't identify themselves. The issue: He is getting out of the skin business and doesn't want the site used for sex, so he needs to know if a porn company is involved in the bidding. He's also worried about a terrorist group's buying the site to post anti-U.S. propaganda. "I need to know who's buying it," he says.
Busing, Not Girls
Thanks to an exhaustively reported Boston Globe biography of Sen. John Kerry, we now know what he and President Bush talked about during a brief encounter at Yale. Neither recalls the chat, but Kerry pal David Thorne was there. No, the talk wasn't about girls or sports. He said that Bush "engaged Kerry" on the hot topic of busing--interesting since Kerry allies portray Bush as an intellectual midget. "I just remember fairly vividly," said Thorne, "they were having a conversation about busing. John had been participating in busing stuff, but George was very conservatively placed and thought it was a crazy idea." John F. Kerry the Complete Biography by the Boston Globe Reporters Who Know Him Best richly describes Kerry's life, from prep school to Vietnam to his early days in the Senate, when he was so poor he relied on a friend to help him in a tax-shelter deal that netted $21,000.
Buttoned Down
Short hair isn't the only thing White House spokesman Scott McClellan and newly shorn President Bush have in common these days. Both guys prefer those nifty no-iron shirts from Brooks Brothers. While all cotton, they're treated with some stuff to stop wrinkles, not a bad thing for a duo who work long hours. "I just love these noniron Brooks Brothers shirts," McClellan says. "It's almost the only thing I wear these days." Bush does too, he adds.
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With Jodie T. Allen, Angie C. Marek, Thomas Omestad and Kenneth T. Walsh
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