Washington Whispers
Gentlemen, Start Your Lobbying
Jon Kyl was a NASCAR fan long before he was a politician. The No. 3 GOP leader in the Senate, he recalls his days as an official track observer in the 1960s at Phoenix International Raceway. "You call the race in your part of the track," he says. Now, as the Senate Republican message maker, the racing fan calls the political situation on his side of the aisle, and his NASCAR roots are fast coming into play. That's because NASCAR, like Kyl's progression, has grown into a major sport that is starting to maneuver its way around Washington, and its Hill allies are helping to open doors.
That was evident last week as three top NASCAR drivers lobbied Capitol Hill for a tax law change to help racetracks. Leading the pack: Jeff Burton, whose No. 31 car is making a run for the sport's points leader. Accompanied by drivers Casey Mears and David Stremme, Burton sized up the new NASCAR-Washington relationship during a meeting with Kyl and GOP Sens. John Ensign of Nevada and John Cornyn of Texas. "I hope it's good for both of us."
Ensign, a self-described NASCAR addict, nodded yes. "Our people like these guys," he says. "It's a big deal."
For Kyl, it's more than just good politics: He's still involved in the sport, providing race commentary on Mondays on Phoenix's KMLE-FM. "I just love the sport," he says, adding: "I kind of root for Jeff Burton."
America-and Big Cash-Beckon Blair
Move over, David Beckham: Another Brit is heading our way to cash in, just like the soccer star did. Retiring British Prime Minister Tony Blair plans to hit the lecture tour in the United States before or after he sets up a foundation to fund humanitarian work in Africa. He should do well: Yanks love him. "He's probably more popular in the U.S., and there's more money there, too," says Peter Riddell, a Blair biographer. It's a path that Blair's buddy, former President Bill Clinton, blazed overseas. Blair is also considering a Bubba-like memoir. And we hear that if the embattled World Bank boss leaves, both could become candidates for the job.
House Oversight Back With a Roar
When the Democrats took over Congress this year, they renamed a few committees, messing up some old acronyms. But at least one turned out for the better. Rep. Henry Waxman's team renamed the House Government Reform Committee: It's now the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The new acronym, COGR-or "cougar"-nicely sums up Waxman's targeting of Bushies. "That's what you get when you put 'oversight' back in," says an aide. A Waxman ally, former Rep. Gerry Sikorski, adds: "Some call it COGR and some OGR. Always depends on perspective. Being stalked-or doing the stalking."
Citadel Battle: Locks or Honor
The Citadel's decision to install locks on its barrack doors in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre has some alums concerned it mocks the storied school's honor code. While female cadets already have locks on their doors, reaction to slapping them on men's dorms has been mixed. "We've been careful to say it's not an honor issue; it's a safety issue," Patricia McArver, the school's spokesperson, tells us. "Our honor system is something that's so strong that it's not threatened by installing locks." Maj. Gen. Art Baiden, chair of the board of the South Carolina school, says it's just time to face modern-day reality. "This action is an acknowledgement that, regrettably, the world has changed."
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