Call him the 'people's lawyer,' Gonzales says
Alberto Gonzales has a refreshing approach to his new job as the nation's attorney general. Rather than being the heavy known just for jailing bad guys, a role filled so well by former AG John Ashcroft, he wants to be the "people's lawyer." The former White House counsel told aides that his arrival wiped the slate clean and set a new path at the Justice Department. His directive to the troops: Instead of just focusing on punishment, tell how the AG protects the public from crooks, terrorists, corporate con artists, and environmental criminals. "He told us," said an insider, "to explain that he's the people's lawyer and that we're here to help and protect the American people." Gonzales led the campaign himself, spending part of his first two days walking around Justice's huge headquarters, meeting staffers of all ranks and imploring them to join his mission. No detail is too small for change. Even acronym-filled releases are to be edited so that anybody can understand them. "It has to pass the smell test for the family in Yonkers," says spokesman Kevin Madden, a New York native.
The gates of White House history
For those in the know, William Seale is certainly tops among White House historians, but only now are we learning just how good an investigator he really is. Consider: While writing The President's House in the 1980s, he was driving in Northern Virginia and turned in to a driveway to change direction. What he saw stunned him: old iron gates that resembled those at the White House. After a little investigating, he determined that they were the original 1819 gates from the northeast corner of the presidential mansion, junked during a 1930s renovation. "I was just backing up and said, 'Oh my God,' " recalled Seale. The Potomac River property was eventually purchased by the American Horticultural Society, which brings us up to today. After a long renovation by AHS, the gates that ushered in presidents from Monroe to FDR will debut at the Philadelphia Flower Show March 6 through 13. "They will command a stupendous place at a flower show that is no stranger to the grandiose," said Seale. "The history of both the gates and the flower show, and you have a reason to go to Philadelphia."
Fans in high places
Add President Bush, the first lady, and the cabinet to the fans of Hotel Rwanda, the film about how hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina housed over a thousand Tutsi refugees during their struggle with Hutu militia killers. Bush saw it twice and "loved it" so much, said an aide, that he hoped to meet with Rusesabagina during his trip this week to Europe. That was, until the White House found out the hero was in Washington last Thursday. So after lunch, the first family and Rusesabagina and his wife huddled in the Oval Office. "[Bush] said he was very much moved by the movie," the humanitarian told us. He also said the prez revealed his goal of ending genocide in Sudan's Darfur region. "He's very much concerned about it. He's very much committed to solving the issue."
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