Six Months Later, Good Medical News
Getting It First, Getting It Right
Enough already about who first whispered that former FBI big shot W. Mark Felt was the Washington Post 's "Deep Throat" source for the Watergate story. There's only one guy who outlined in detail why Felt was the one, right down to how the G-man was mad that former President Nixon didn't pick him to replace J. Edgar Hoover. The winner: longtime reporter James Mann , who wrote a piece in the May 1992 Atlantic Monthly explaining why the source had to be from the FBI and why Felt was very likely No. 1 on the Most Wanted list. So it's not bragging when he tells us: "I believe I'm the first person who laid out the institutional nature of this."
It's All in How You Count the Numbers
Remember the hullabaloo when the administration released its annual terrorism report in April showing that international terrorist attacks nearly tripled to 651 in 2004? No worries, calmed the feds, who blamed the surge on changes in how events are counted. Well, it's happening again. We hear that the new National Counterterrorism Center later this month is likely to report a boost to "several thousand incidents." Runaway terrorism? No, no, no, officials are saying, again blaming the methodology.
Related News
White House Week: Lessons from Deep Throat
Hey, W, It's Birthday Week
Reminder to President Bush : Your mom turns 80 on June 8, and your dad is 81 on June 12. And if you haven't already sent a present to Texas, forget it. They're leaving town for an annual cruise. In fact, they gave orders at the Bush library to tone down the celebration, though a party will be held in their absence June 10 with punch and cake. But here's a way you can mark the occasion. Library officials tell us they've created a virtual birthday card for friends to send Poppy and Bar. It's at http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu .
Governor's Vice: Netflix and Popcorn
He's the incoming chairman of the National Governors Association, he's penned a hit fitness book after losing 100 pounds, and he's been dubbed "skinny" by President Bush. He's also eyeing a 2008 presidential bid. So how does Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee veg out? He E-mails orders to Netflix for movies and makes popcorn in his own machine. The guv says he loves Netflix: If a movie stinks, just put in another. Bad movies and high prices pushed him to the subscription service. The tipping point: I [heart] Huckabees . For obvious reasons, the guv says he felt compelled to go, but he thought the film was a dud. "I can't remember seeing a dog that barked louder than that."
usnews.com To subscribe to Washington Whispers E-mail newsletter: www.usnews.com/whispers
With Suzi Parker and Kevin Whitelaw
advertisement
