A Modern-Day Thomas Jefferson?
Out of the Frying Pan for Tom Turkey
If it's Thanksgiving, that telephone pitch must be from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, with the usual harangue about the White House's pardoning of the national turkey in favor of a life of misery at a petting farm. But this time PETA has a pretty good idea. Instead of dispatching the birds to the Frying Pan Park petting zoo, where they commonly die within a year, PETA suggests giving them to Maryland's Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, where they will be restored to health and given a longer life expectancy. The White House didn't bite.
More First Spouses for Literacy
Reading isn't just the territory of the nation's first ladies. Scholastic, the kiddie-reading giant, has 43 gubernatorial first spouses signed up next month as "Ambassadors of Reading" for its "Scholastic Read for 2006." They say the spouses will host events to highlight Scholastic's effort to get kids to read for 2,006 seconds on December 2. For you English majors, that's about 33 1/2 minutes.
Rush Shushed? He Doesn't Think So
Liberal Air America has enlisted Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for its latest fundraiser, and he claims political change is in the air. "As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday," he preaches, "there are strong signs that the right wing's domination of talk radio is finally coming to an end. And that's something for which we can all be thankful," he says. A righty radio source says, "Rush [Limbaugh] and Sean [Hannity] aren't worried."
Carter Ignores Life's Alarm Clock
By his own expectation, Jimmy Carter should be dead. "When I got out of the White House," he reveals, "I had a life expectancy of 25 years." He left in early 1981, almost 25 years ago. So how has the 81-year-old ex-prez dodged the grim reaper? It's simple, he says. Eat well, keep busy, and fish.
An Artist Gets His Christmas Wish
If you like Washington art, you've probably seen Paul McGehee 's work. He has done stuff for the White House, Mount Vernon, and the U.S. Capitol, and his paintings are in the collections of former presidents. But one job on his A list has eluded him: painting the national Christmas tree used in the president's Pageant of Peace. For years he taped the televised tree lightings in hopes the call would come in, and it did last spring. Pageant boss James McDaniel says he found McGehee's work while surfing the Internet. "I said 'Wow, this is just the kind of artist who would do a good job.' " The rest is history. "It's quite exciting," says McGehee. Can it get any better? Yes, the prez will be given a signed copy of his winter scene when he lights the tree December 1.
With Julian E. Barnes
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