Inside the Ragin' Cajun's truly bizarre crystal ball
Democratic Cajun James Carville is at it again, but this time it's more than just spitting a bit of venom at a pol named Bush. He's worried about things getting so bad in the next four years, no matter who's president, that liberal "Naderism" and conservative "Buchananism" will join to challenge the Democrats and the Republicans. "My macro position," he says, "is that in 2008 there's going to be a significant third-party movement in the United States that's going to combine Naderism and Buchananism. It's going to be native; anti-immigration; antitrade; very, very cool on military intervention; America first." He reasons that people will be angered by the budget deficit, still seething mad about war in Iraq, and sick of immigrants and foreign trade. "This Iraq thing is a much bigger event than we think. It's going to change the way people think for a long time," he says. Add a recession, and ka-pow! But Greg Mueller, who worked for Buchanan, says that era's gone. "That sentiment bubbles under the surface," he says, "but its peak was 1992 to 1996 with Pat [Buchanan] and Ross Perot. "
Remembering JFK's clam chowder
It's nearly Memorial Day, time for picnics and, of course, the 41st Pillsbury Bake-Off. You know, 100 cooks in Hollywood vying for a $1 million prize with creations like bacon and potato breakfast pizza. But they're not all heart-seizing treats: One is even influenced by the fish-heavy diet of John F. Kennedy. Turns out that the father of Richmond, Va., contestant Beth Royals ran the White House staff mess in JFK's days and showed his daughter a few tricks of the trade. Like how to handle fish, which JFK loved. Royals, who is entering her chilled shrimp salad pita-wiches, says, "being around my dad, you just developed a love for that food." And culinary tradition: Keep it simple and don't mess with cherished recipes. Her dad, Henry Hirschy, reveals a key lesson. Once, a White House chef prepared thyme-flavored clam chowder for a JFK yacht trip. Yuck, thought Hirschy, who sneaked on board a backup jug of New England chowder. Given the thyme-flavored soup, Kennedy "took one spoonful and the whole thing went over the side, bowl, spoon and all," Hirschy says, laughing, "but he loved the other chowder."
'Like Selling Matzo'
President Bush has a new "rabbi," Noam Neusner, who adds the job of Jewish outreach to his speechwriting responsibilities. Neusner says his boss is an easy sell because of his strong support for Israel. Quoting predecessor Tevi Troy, now at the Bush campaign, Neusner says promoting the prez "is like selling matzo to Jews before Passover." Campaign officials hope so: They want to double Bush's Jewish vote. Neusner, a former U.S. News economics writer, is just the latest in his family to take up the cause. His granddad crusaded against anti-Semitism as a Connecticut newspaper publisher, and his father, Jacob, is a leading scholar on Judaism.
Rapping Ralph
When the Democrats warned they were going to get Ralph Nader for entering the presidential race, they really meant it. One new group, the Democratic Action Team, and its StopNader.com arm are even calling him an egomaniac. In a new TV ad that begins airing next week, the group blames Nader for President Bush 's election and the subsequent problems Democrats have with Bush. "Look at what Ralph Nader costs us," growls the ad. "Ralph, what's more important? Your nation or your ego?"
Bubba's big book
After years of writing, former President Clinton finally delivered My Life to the publishers last Thursday. Now that the editors have the text, says spokesman Jim Kennedy, "the publishers have given the president his life back. He's now getting ready for the book tour, where writer's cramp from writing the book will be replaced by writer's cramp from autographing it." Friends say pulling together the 992-page text wasn't easy: One said Clinton wrote 800 pages before he even reached the subject of his presidency.
You're Fired!
President Bush might not keep his team intact if he's re-elected. To kick-start a second term, he may replace up to two thirds of his cabinet and top political appointees. "Oh yeah, there'll be a big housecleaning," says an aide. It could start right after Election Day, when appointees would have to tender resignations.
Don't ask, don't tell
Finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq might actually be easier than finding the commission created to look into the administration's search. And members of the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction like it that way. This group won't be like the camera-mugging 9/11 panel. Why? Most of what they deal with is classified. But they have created an E-mail address for tipsters: comments@wmd.gov.
World's Fair, again
After a seven-year absence, Uncle Sam--and Ben Franklin --will be partying at the 2005 World's Fair in Japan. Seems President Bush, wishing to warm up Washington-Tokyo relations, and the U.S. business community, hoping to, well, make a bit of dough, have renewed the country's interest after skipping the 2000 fair in Germany. Businesses have already raised $20 million. And the front men are a Who's Who of America Inc.: former Veep Walter Mondale, former House Speaker Tom Foley, Chamber of Commerce boss Tom Donohue, and longtime government exec Bill Brock. The theme? The "Franklin Spirit." As in Ben and his famously inventive ways.
Double standard
If sleeping with an alleged spy and giving up the government's secrets don't land an FBI agent in jail, what will? That's what lots of agents are asking about former FBI counterintelligence supervisor James Smith. By cutting a deal to testify against his former lover, accused Chinese spy Katrina Leung, Smith avoided a prison term and even kept his FBI pension. "How's it look," asks a senior official, by going easy on Smith and "then throwing the book at Leung?"
Kerry's freebies
Sen. John Kerry knows how to buy a few votes--offer up some free stuff. Aides toss T-shirts into crowds to rally them before the candidate arrives. And these aren't generic T-shirts: Florida rallies get orange T's, and the pro-Kerry slogan on those handed out at a Cinco de Mayo event in L.A. were printed in Spanish.
USNEWS.COM To see the new anti-Nader TV ad on our website:www.usnews.com/whispers
With Chitra Ragavan and Suzi Parker
This story appears in the May 31, 2004 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.