Washington Whispers
U.S. News's Walsh Gets a Fitzwater
Pardon us a moment to toot our own horn. Whispers regular Kenneth T. Walsh is set to be the third recipient of the Fitzwater Center Award for Leadership in Public Communication at New Hampshire's Franklin Pierce College. Yes, that Marlin Fitzwater, spokesman to former Presidents Reagan and Bush and adviser to the media and public affairs school. Why Ken? "His career encompasses almost all of the objectives of our center," says Fitzwater. Besides covering the White House for U.S. News, Walsh has written four books about the presidency and headed the White House Correspondents' Association. The prize? "You'll love this," snickers Fitzwater. "You get a bronze medallion with my picture on it! This is the greatest ego trip ever. The only thing better than getting it is that I get to give it."
The Schumer Diet: Steak, No Eggs
High-octane New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer isn't one to turn down a meal. But he was quick to brush off some scrambled eggs and bacon at a breakfast last week. The excitable chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was worried about flunking his cholesterol test. "I had almost a steak for two at Bobby Van's last night," he reveals. "It's going to raise my cholesterol ... how long does it stay in your blood?" he asks. Not to worry: He passed the test and was to celebrate with a huge cheese omelet.
Even NPR Trips on Lewis Libby
Say this fast 10 times: "I'm Libby Lewis covering Lewis Libby for NPR." In the weird-but-true category, Lewis really is covering the CIA spy leak story for National Public Radio. "People think it's really funny," she says. But it does cause confusion, even with NPR anchors. "There have been," Lewis says, "lots of mistakes on our air, about people getting the names mixed up."
Sen. George Allen Drives a Deere
We were halfway through lunch with likely 2008 GOP presidential candidate Sen. George Allen when he told us he cut his own grass. When challenged, he pleaded: "I cut my own grass, yes, yes." Allen gave credible details: He uses a John Deere 155 lawn tractor on his acre while listening to NASCAR with earphones. He said the 48-inch mower was overkill, but he needed it when he previously owned a 2-acre spread. "I can't get much for it," he says, "so I use it."
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