Washington Whispers
The New Treasury Gets the Full Condi
It's been a while since the Treasury Department counted in Washington. But that's expected to change with this week's swearing-in of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Insiders say that President Bush has issued orders to make the agency the star it used to be. He's led by example, telling Congress that Paulson, the former Goldman Sachs boss, is his economic point man. Also significant: The White House named Jim Wilkinson the chief of staff. He's largely responsible for rebuilding State's influence under Condi Rice. "Rice is the shining star of the administration," says a Bush adviser, "so it's symbolic that they've tapped Jimmy to run Paulson's shop." What's more, he has strong ties to congressional conservatives and Bush, complementing Paulson's links to Wall Street and world financial capitals. Cheers an insider: "Treasury's back, man."
One Race, and Cheney Is Hooked
He's been to only one NASCAR race--the July 1 Pepsi 400 at Daytona--but already we hear that Vice President Dick Cheney is digging the noise and grime. So did it make him a fan? "He is now," says spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride. Before helping start the race, Cheney visited with the teams sponsored by the Army, National Guard, and Air Force. But the veep hasn't slapped a driver's number on his limo yet. "It may take a few more races before he has a favorite," says McBride. He left the race early but caught Tony Stewart's win on Air Force 2's TV.
Iron Chef Versus the Nation's Chef
Eyes in the most exclusive kitchen in the world--the White House's--will be on the popular Food Network show Iron Chef next week as former presidential chef Walter Scheib takes on Iron Chef Cat Cora. And even though East Wingers pushed Scheib out after he had served the Bushes and Clintons for years, they will be checking him out, too. Scheib wouldn't dish on the outcome of the prerecorded show, airing first on July 16, but called it a nail-biter.
A Barclay Man, and Healthy, Too
Smoking just shy of two packs of Barclay cigarettes a day hasn't meant much for House Majority Leader John Boehner's health.Boehner passed his latest physical, and his doc deemed him in excellent condition. When he got the news, the Ohio lawmaker, who thinks golf is exercise, bragged to skeptical staffers: "The doctor said he was amazed. He was wondering just what kind of genes I have." Despite all those secondhand-smoke warnings, GOP members say they like to be around Boehner when he's puffing. "You always try to catch him with a cigarette," says a lawmaker pal of Boehner's who prefers to smoke on the "Boehner bench" in the Speaker's Lobby just off the House floor. "That's when he's happiest," adds the lawmaker. Better yet: Reporters view the smoke as a signal to stay away.
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