Kerry's Christmas Goose Is in the Bag
Sorry, PETA; Sen. John Kerry really does hunt--and not just when the campaign cameras are whirring. Remember that scene in late October of last year's presidential election when Kerry emerged from a muddy Ohio field in a new camo jacket cradling a shotgun but not his dead goose? The one that prompted critics to giggle that the photo op was ginned up to show that the Boston brahmin was a regular guy?
Well, sources tell us that Kerry is an avid bird and deer hunter, and a good shot to boot. The proof: Early last week, he traveled to Nebraska for a waterfowl hunt. The senator and some friends, including old Swift Boat pal Jim Wasser, bagged 10 mallards, some smaller widgeons, and two Canada geese. We hear "J.K." and Wasser met near Decatur, Neb., by the Missouri River, huddled in a bunkhouse, grilled some steaks, popped a few beers, and watched the Colts-Steelers Monday-night football game on a 14-inch TV. They were out by 4:45 a.m. Tuesday. Temperature: 19 degrees. Wind: 30 mph. Kerry, armed with a Benelli shotgun; Wasser, and six others set the decoys on a pond and jumped into two blinds. At sunup, three ducks screamed in and the crew nailed 'em with their 12-gauges. Nearly a dozen more fell by lunchtime, all retrieved by the host's black lab, Bo. "Not bad for a few hours' hunting," said a Kerry buddy, who added that the birds will probably be served for Christmas dinner.
Not Enough Yet to Overturn Roe
Even though President Bush has picked two conservatives for the Supreme Court, abortion foes say it will take one more right-leaning justice to overturn Roe v. Wade. "We may be looking at the next one," says former Attorney General Edwin Meese. Meese says that even with new Chief Justice John G. Roberts and nominee Samuel Alito, if he's confirmed, the court will duck the controversial issue until the conservative majority can be expanded. Robert Bork, the Reagan high court nominee rejected in contentious hearings, agreed, suggesting that there is no way pro-abortion-rights Sen. Arlen Specter, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, would consider Alito if he thought it meant overturning Roe. Still, say Meese and Bork, look for the Roberts court to OK greater limits on abortion.
Wanted: a Few Good War Dentists
It's not big bellies or poor training that stops many reservists from being deployed to Iraq. It's their teeth. Military officials said that since there are so few dentists in the battlefield, troops with bad teeth are sidelined until their dentist gives the OK. It's a lesson from the Gulf War, when those with toothaches either suffered or were sent out of the area for treatment at other U.S. bases.
Kennedy :)'s on Political Bloggers
At 73, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy is a big supporter of information technology, but he's not very wired. He doesn't carry a BlackBerry. He doesn't use a computer. But he's fast becoming a huge fan of Internet blogs. Every week he gets a memo on what progressive blogs, especially Daily Kos and MyDD.com, are saying on key issues. He likes being interviewed by bloggers--on the phone, of course. And he's even started writing blogs, like his Huffington post.com blast at Wal-Mart last month. "It's more than just curiosity," says spokeswoman Laura Capps. "He's excited about how engaged the bloggers are."
The Secrets to Landing W's Library
Will the Clinton-Bush lovefest ever stop? Apparently not. We hear that the man who brought us the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark., is offering advice to Texas colleges angling to get the Bush presidential library and museum. Skip Rutherford 's tips are extremely valuable: He's a master marketer whose project has been very popular despite its location in a lightly populated region. His top idea to the four bidders: "Do whatever it takes to get it." And that means a big 9/11 feature. "September 11 is one of those defining moments in history . . . like Pearl Harbor was to 'the greatest generation,' " he tells us. "Access, visibility, lack of traffic congestion, parking," he adds, "are also key factors." Former Commerce Secretary Don Evans, Bush bro Marvin, and Bush cuz Craig Stapleton, who head the Bush library team, have received written and oral presentations from the bidders.
Putting the Tree Back in Christmas
You may have heard about the stink kicked up last week when House Speaker Dennis Hastert ordered a return to calling the annual "Holiday Tree" outside the Capitol the "Capitol Christmas Tree." Well, just in case House officials didn't get the message, aides late last week brought in four Christmas trees, holly, and wreaths to decorate the speaker's office. "We've decked the halls with boughs of holly while we work for America," sings Hastert aide Ron Bonjean. At the White House, meanwhile, the first family never even considered calling theirs a "holiday tree." Laura Bush says, "We've always called this the White House Christmas tree." Theirs will see a lot of visitors: 44,000 from the public and 9,500 during 21 days of private parties and this week's black tie congressional ball.
Dick Armey for Treasury?
Here's the hot tip of the week: Friends of former House Majority Leader Dick Armey want him named the next treasury secretary. They say the flat-tax proponent and economist could better help sell the administration's economic achievements. "We need, above all," says a pal, "a message guy."
Too Old for a Clooney Bounce
Former CIA case officer Robert Baer was a bit surprised when his book, See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War on Terrorism, was optioned for the film Syriana, starring George Clooney. "I never looked at my book as movie material." Still, it's got to be cool having Clooney play him, right? Maybe 20 years ago, he says. "It's like having a sports car. You need it when you're 22, and it makes a lot less difference when you're 53."
With Suzi Parker, Kenneth T. Walsh and Anna Mulrine
This story appears in the December 12, 2005 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.