20 million Clintonite E-mails, for the nosy
Here's a scary thought for ex-Clinton aides who prided themselves on keeping all those White House stories secret. Their 20 million E-mails will be available for snoops on the fifth anniversary of Bubba's 2001 departure from Washington, when other papers will see their first release at his library in Little Rock, Ark. Here's what we know: E-mails about classified information will be kept secret. Bill Clinton has only two E-mails on file: a test E-mail and a note of congrats to Sen. John Glenn as the Mercury astronaut flew the space shuttle. That's because Clinton probably marked his E-mails "personal," legally keeping them from release. But it's unlikely that aides and interns in the first big-time E-mailing White House did the same. And pressing "delete" won't help: Most were archived on the hard drive. With so many E-mails to research, historians will have to dig through the serious and the silly. Consider what turned up in a search of Clinton-era documents for the government's new case against Big Tobacco: an E-mail from one staffer asking another to go out for a smoke.
Not so terrible twins after all
After their quirky tag-team performance for Dad at the Republican National Convention, President Bush' s twins, Barbara and Jenna, were sneeringly called everything from flirts to ditzes. Seems the stodgy political press panned their performance, their choice of clothes, and their Sex and the City joke about "Gammy," grandmom Barbara Bush. Well, as they say at CBS, never mind. Bush-Cheney campaign insiders reveal that the twins' debut was a smash hit among young voters, women, and even dads of 20-somethings. "They really worked," says a campaign strategist. "The focus groups loved them." What clicked was their lingo, clothes, and cultural references. After the initial critical coverage, aide Susan Whitson recalls thinking, "Gosh, what did we do?" Until, of course, supporters said they liked the kids. "They weren't talking to you and me," says another Bushie. "They were talking to their tribe." That would be college students like the Michigan State University men at a recent twins rally who held up a sign with their phone numbers. The message: CALL US.
High noon it ain't
Turns out the pen isn't mightier than the sword in the friendly war between the liberal New Republic and conservative Weekly Standard. Normally the two mags fight it out in an annual softball game but, as New Republic Assistant Managing Editor Adam Kushner crowed, "We thrashed those guys so many times in softball that their only option was to declare war." With guns. Come October 3, look to see Weekly Standard Contributing Editor and CNN mouth Tucker Carlson pointing a paintball gun at Kushner's gang. Kushner's not scared: "The Weekly Standard should just throw up its arms and greet us as liberators." The Standard' s Michael Goldfarb, who thought up the battle, is also confident, partly 'cause he's been practicing at a gun range. "I'll let my gun speak for me," says he.
Gettin' on down
Democrats have a wish this week as the first presidential debate nears: John Kerry, stop acting like Lurch. "I think he's got to get on down a little more," advises House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. While vision and knowledge are pluses in the debates, so is likability, and she says President Bush has that. "You have to make that connection."
Ad wars, Continued
You knew it was coming, and it has finally arrived. The " John Kerry is a liberal" ad is about to be unleashed. It's from a new special-interest group, Americans United to Preserve Marriage, headed by American Values boss Gary Bauer, who challenged President Bush for the White House in 2000. The ad notes Kerry's votes against anti-gay-marriage legislation and ends, "That's liberal. That's John Kerry. John Kerry, too liberal for America."
Chris vs. George
A lot of Chris Wallace 's pals said he was crazy to leave ABC to take over the Fox News Sunday show, but his homies aren't laughing now. Especially his ex-colleague George Stephanopoulos, whose This Week has been eclipsed in the Washington-area Nielsens by Wallace. Why does that matter? The local affiliate just moved This Week to run directly against Fox News Sunday, so rookie Sunday host Wallace gets hometown bragging rights in the matchup.
Senatorial wampum
Talk about great timing. Right as he prepares to retire from the Senate, Colorado's Ben Nighthorse Campbell has found the spotlight to ply his trade. The new Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian features the Cheyenne's handmade jewelry. His exhibit runs through April 3.
Bush, Kerry, whatever
Democrats have had a field day with Sen. John McCain 's criticism of President Bush 's Iraq war management, so it seems fair play to air a Democratic senator's hit on Sen. John Kerry. Former vice presidential nominee Joe Lieberman says, "I disagree with Senator Kerry's look back" at his earlier views on Iraq. Lieberman says he doesn't quibble with Kerry's call for a multilateral approach but suggests that there isn't that much original in the pitch. "I don't find much difference between what he is proposing and what President Bush is doing."
Another blacklist
Washington is big on pointing the finger; there are official blacklists for countries that support terrorism, violate human rights, and fail to crack down on narcotics. This week, Republican Reps. Sue Kelly and Ed Royce are introducing legislation to blacklist countries that fail to crack down on terrorist financing. The State Department appears unenthused because it could end up citing allies like Indonesia, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
Under where?
It's all about being supportive at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Ga. The physical standards are tough, like completing a 1.5-mile run and some heavy-duty bench pressing. And, apparently, the more shoring, the better. Which is why the center is seeking bids for 2,100 sports bras, sizes small to double XXL. The size range makes sense, considering that thousands of women from 81 federal agencies go through training there, says spokesman Paul McGuire. It might not stop with bras, he adds. "You might see us order a large quantity of athletic supporters, too."
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With Suzi Parker, Angie C. Marek, Julian E. Barnes, Ulrich Boser, David E. Kaplan and Samantha Levine
This story appears in the October 4, 2004 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.