Washington Whispers
His Staff Hates It, but Not His Horse
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee isn't the only fatty who hit the treadmill and dieted-he lost 110 pounds and several chins-to get ready for a 2008 presidential run. Now we can add New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to the list. "When I made the decision to run for president, I realized it was time to get serious about losing weight and exercising more," he says. "The campaign lifestyle can wreak havoc on your diet and your waistline." Once a lean kid athlete, Richardson chubbed up during his days as a lawmaker and cabinet official in Washington and as United Nations ambassador in New York, where he was known for his big appetite, long cigars, and sips of wine. But that was 30 pounds ago.
After trying virtually every fad diet, he's now on a doctor-prescribed, nutritionist-supervised diet familiar to thousands: He replaces two meals with special shakes, actually eating only one real meal a day. He snacks on veggies or an energy bar. And he works out with a trainer. "He loves to eat," says spokesman Pahl Shipley, "so it has been difficult." Richardson says he still wants to shed 10 pounds, but his staff isn't so happy with that news. "I've got even more energy and stamina," he says, but he also admits, "I get cranky." Still, says Richardson, the only Hispanic in the 2008 race, "I'll tell you what. My horse is happy about my diet."
Maybe Someone Should Ask Condi?
The number of groups pushing to draft Condoleezza Rice for president has reached about 20 so far, and now one-ThinkCondi.net-is trying to get everybody on the same page. "We want to take it to the next stage," says ThinkCondi Chairman Richard Holt. And that means moving from the Internet to the key primary and caucus states to set up organizations and get the secretary of state's name on the Republican primary ballots, especially in early-primary states like New Hampshire and South Carolina. Oddly, they haven't asked Rice, but Holt doesn't think that's key yet. "We want to take this to her with results. We're sure she'll get in then and this will take off."
Would President Hillary Tap Chelsea?
For media outlets breathlessly selling the story about how Bill Clinton would play the first lady role should his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, become president, well, just hang on a minute. We hear from key Clintonistas that there's an alternative to having Bubba around all the time, stealing the limelight. It's having Chelsea Clinton, the all-grown-up daughter, take over the East Wing. The scenario: Chelsea would move to the White House to handle social functions because the former president would be too busy with his surrogate work for his wife and his ongoing efforts for his foundation, which he'd probably move to Washington. And to keep out of Hillary's hair, he'd step up his already busy travel schedule out of Washington and the country.
Scooter's Money and Scotty's Book
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