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Before you write out that check to Sidwell Friends, or make the mortgage payment on the second home on the Eastern Shore, let us pay homage to you.
The six-day media plan you worked up for the Saudi Arabian government was one of the most brilliant and sophisticated we have seen in some time.
Even though we would love to get back to making the Note all about domestic politics, international events continue to dominate our nation's political dialogue. Plus, the scheme you came up with is so clever, we think it should be used as a case study in political campaign management schools all over the country.
In the ultimate good-cop/bad cop maneuvering, you put Mr. 80 Percent, Mr. "With Us or Against Us" completely on the defensive. You knew going in, from the moment you placed all those Bad Cop blind quotes in the New York Times on Thursday, that the only way your plan would fail is if the US government called you on it publicly.
And in fact, you knew that wouldn't happen. Whatever mojo you have that got your clients separate, private meetings with Dick Cheney, the US military high command, former President George H. W. Bush (41), former President Bill Clinton (42), and 43, you knew, would compel the Americans to remain silent and swallow whatever you shoved their way.
So you executed your plan perfectly, following those in-your-face blind quotes with sweetness and light in Crawford, a TV advertising campaign celebrating the US-Saudi relationship, and lots of on-the-record, happy talk. You had your clients, the Saudis, go public with their "oh, no, not us, we would never use oil as a weapon," lovey-dovey talk.
Then you had them drop their own peace proposal, casting them in weekend coverage as strong advocates for peace. And what was missing? Any talk of the repressive, non-democratic country that is Saudi Arabia, or any re-evaluation of the U.S.-Saudi relationship, or demand for change. And almost no talk of alleged Saudi fundraising for Palestinians, or payoffs to the families of suicide bombers.
Sure, there was that little flap over the allegation that the Saudis refused to have any women involved in landing their plane. We loved the spin that, hey, the flight attendants were women, so doesn't that prove they like women? Lucky for your plan, that incident didn't become a metaphor for the whole relationship and visit.
So, congratulations, Oh Anonymous PR Firm. If you are Republican, let's hope for your sake that Karl Rove doesn't figure out what you did.
And if you are Democrat, you might want to pitch one of the guys running for president. You've got at least two applicable credentials: you know how to execute a sophisticated media plan, and you already have proven that you can beat George W. Bush.
Bill Safire is intrigued by the same set of "good cop-bad cop" facts as we are, and doesn't reject our theory, but posits another one — that the Times blind quotes were the product of a split in the Saudi leadership. Safire's analysis is a must-read for Saudiologists, but we say, go with Theory #3, Bill.
( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/opinion/29SAFI.html )
And welcome to California, Mr. President. The Field Poll shows Democratic Gov. Gray Davis with a 14-point lead over GOP candidate Bill Simon. Plus, look for some relatively interesting numbers on the president's own standing in the home of one out of every seven Americans.
The Los Angeles Times reports that state Republican leaders "solicited tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from Enron Corp. even as the state government was investigating the company and other producers suspected of price gouging and market manipulation during last year's energy crisis, according to internal Enron documents."
( http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la- 000030500apr29.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dfrontpage )
The Times apparently rooted up a bunch of documents showing "a relationship between Republican leaders and the now-failed energy giant that neither the company nor the state GOP has ever publicly acknowledged. Indeed, during this spring's primary campaign, the Republican candidates for governor all criticized Gov. Gray Davis for accepting nearly $120,000 from Enron."
While there are, as usual, policy elements to the president's trip out west today and tomorrow, the focus will be on the huge chunk of change — $4.1 million — Bush is expected to raise for Simon and the California GOP, and how nicey-nice Bush is making with Simon after the White House dissed him in the primary for centrist former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan.
Look for Democrats to stay on the attack on this President's (like his predecessor's) making up "policy" stops to help defray the costs of his fundraising travel. In this case, Democrats will argue that "using" Rodney King to raise money is beyond the pale.
"Some White House aides have questioned the wisdom of Bush spending time helping Simon," the AP's Lindlaw reports. "Simon's campaign has just a fraction of the governor's $30 million treasury, although he has a personal fortune to draw upon."
( http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/politics/3158852.htm )
"But for the first time in Bush's aggressive fund-raising schedule this year, he was headlining events two days in a row for Simon — Monday night in Los Angeles and Tuesday in Santa Clara, in Silicon Valley."
Note that Simon will fly to Albuquerque so that he can travel (back) to California with Bush on Air Force One.
En route to the Golden State, Bush will stop in Albuquerque to make remarks on mental health. "Bush was stopping … to promote legislation that would guarantee that insurance for mental health disorders is as comprehensive as that offered for other illnesses," Lindlaw writes. "At issue is the scope of the law. A limited version of 'mental health parity,' which expired last year, barred employers from setting lower annual or lifetime limits on coverage for mental illnesses than they set for other illnesses. It had been a common practice."
"Bush, who signed a similar bill as Texas governor, is pressing House and Senate leaders to complete legislation on the matter and send it to him. Many business leaders and fellow Republicans oppose it, fearing it would increase the cost of health insurance significantly."
The local New Mexico papers, eagerly tuning into the fundraising zeitgeist, portray the trip as money-oriented. We wonder what talk radio hosts in New Mexico will say of a presidential trip on which "none of the events is open to the public." ( http://www.abqtrib.com/archives/news02/042702_news_bush.shtml )
USA Today 's Keen offers this breathless lead pegged to this latest fundraising tour: "The White House is running the earliest, most elaborate political operation in 20 years, reaching deep into key campaigns across the country."
( http://www.usatoday.com/news/washdc/2002/04/29/campaign.htm )
"An informal command team, which includes officials from the White House, Republican National Committee (RNC) and congressional campaign committees, was created to manage the operation. The team identified key races and handpicked candidates, sent operatives to help run campaigns and is orchestrating fundraising."
"Running the show are a few strategists, including White House political director Ken Mehlman, RNC Deputy Chairman Jack Oliver and Mike Stokke, deputy chief of staff for House Speaker Dennis Hastert. Karl Rove, Bush's top political aide, doesn't attend the meetings, but he oversees everything."
"The nameless group meets at 7:30 a.m. every Tuesday at the RNC's headquarters. Over coffee, they spend 40 minutes or so dissecting polls for signs of candidates' weaknesses, deciding where to send Bush to raise money and fine-tuning candidates' messages."
Getting Jack Kemp to compliment the president for his "ease" in urban settings, the Los Angeles Times ' Brownstein sharply notes, "President Bush will arrive in Los Angeles today bearing a more ambitious urban agenda than his father offered after the city's riots 10 years ago--but still facing charges that his tax cut has made it impossible for Washington to meaningfully confront the most pressing problems facing big cities."
( http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la -000030525apr29.story?coll=la%2Dnews%2Da%5Fsection )
"Bush has spent much more time in urban settings than his father, former President Bush, whose failure to respond more aggressively to the 1992 Los Angeles riots may have been a turning point in his defeat that year by Bill Clinton."
Meanwhile, back in the Senate, which is supposed to take up the omnibus trade bill — including fast-track — today, Republicans apparently are in control.
At least, Senate Minority Leader Lott told Roll Call in an interview that they were.
( http://www.rollcall.com/pages/news/00/2002/04/news0429c.html )
"Without a budget resolution with spending guidelines for their domestic goals, Republicans argue that the Democratic agenda rings hollow. 'The emperor has no clothes,' said a Bush administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. 'They have all these great plans to spend money but can't figure out a way to produce a budget.'"
"Some Republican Senators are questioning whether Democrats want to write a budget at all this year … Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), assistant majority floor leader, acknowledged that Democrats are open to 'criticism' for not yet passing a budget resolution but said Republicans share responsibility for the impasse."
Today at noon, Senator Ted Kennedy will give a speech at Northeastern University to follow up on his comments in the Boston Globe today about Bush's "'misguided proposal' … to end fixed interest rates on federal-student loans and shift as much as $1.3 billion in expected savings to other parts of the budget. The White House idea, reported over the weekend, would require millions of college students and graduates consolidating their education loans to pay variable rather than fixed interest rates, which would be recalculated every year. Student loans consolidated this year will be repaid at a fixed rate of 5.99 percent. Kennedy predicted the proposal would mean higher costs for the millions of young Americans who spend years paying off college loans."
( http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/119/nation/Kennedy_rips_ Bush_plan_to_let_college_loan_rates_float+.shtml )
On Tuesday, President Bush will give a speech on compassionate conservatism and attend another fundraising event for GOP gubernatorial nominee Bill Simon in San Jose.
Also on Tuesday, the National Right to Life Committee will hold its annual "Proudly Pro-Life" dinner in Washington.
On Wednesday, back in DC, Bush will meet separately with the Chinese Vice President and the Senior Minister of Singapore, and make remarks at a Medal of Honor ceremony.
Thursday, Bush will host the leaders of the European Union at the White House, and take part in a reception for the National Day of Prayer.
On Friday, he and the First Lady will host a Cinco de Mayo reception at the White House, then greet the Prime Minister of Spain at Camp David.
And, in a weekend so politically big we're prepping you for it this far in advance, Saturday brings the White House Correspondents Association Dinner, starring Drew Carey; the Kentucky Derby, with politicians galore in attendance; and a Center for National Policy confab featuring lots of major conservative figures.
USA Today , following on the New York Times ' paradigm-shifting weekend Iraq story, reports, "The CIA has told President Bush that the chances of overthrowing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein soon through covert action or a coup are slim, leaving a large-scale U.S. invasion as the likeliest option to change the government, people familiar with agency planning say. A former CIA official says Central Intelligence Director George Tenet presented that view to President Bush earlier this month. Tenet was given approval in February to try to oust Saddam."
( http://www.usatoday.com/news/washdc/2002/04/29/iraq.htm )
From the ABCNEWS London Bureau: The Israeli army has moved into the West Bank town of Hebron in force, with nine Palestinians reported dead. Israel said it was acting on information that more attacks were planned by Palestinians following the killing of four Israelis at the nearby settlement of Adora on Saturday. The latest incursion came just hours after Israel and the Palestinians accepted a US plan to allow Palestinian leader Arafat to leave his besieged compound in Ramallah.
Under the US plan to end the stand-off in Ramallah, Israeli forces will pull back from Arafat's compound and leave him free to travel, once six Palestinian men wanted by Israel are moved to a Palestinian prison, where they will be held by US and British guards. American and British security officers are due to arrive in the Palestinian territories later today to assess the technical details.
Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is in Moscow today for talks with his Russian counterpart. Sergei Ivanov, amid signs that the two sides could fail to come to agreement on nuclear arms cuts before a May summit. At issue are Russian objections to US plans to store instead of destroy weapons removed from missiles and bombs. The two countries have agreed to slash nearly two-thirds of their strategic nuclear arsenals over the next decade.
Middle East
The New York Times ' Pat Tyler big-thinks on where the administration is, today, Monday April 29, 2002, at least this morning: "Administration officials appeared eager to assert that Mr. Bush's diplomacy was undertaken at his own initiative and not in response to any pressure from the Saudi leader, who flew to Texas last week to express the collective frustration of the moderate Arab camp, which includes President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and King Abdullah II of Jordan."
( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/international/middleeast/29DIPL.html )
"One indication of that eagerness was the decision Friday by Mr. Bush and his top aides to make public a proposal that the Saudi ruler had put forward during his Thursday meeting with Mr. Bush. The eight-point proposal called on Mr. Bush to bring pressure immediately to end the Israeli siege of Mr. Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah and to get peace negotiations restarted."
House Majority Whip Tom DeLay has canceled the vote on the pro-Israel resolution he had planned to bring up tomorrow, Roll Call reports. "DeLay reversed course after receiving a phone call from the White House on Friday asking him to postpone action on the measure while administration officials continued sensitive negotiations aimed at ending Israeli-Palestinian violence."
( http://www.rollcall.com/pages/news/00/2002/04/news0429d.html )
The story inflicts more bruises on the Secretary of State. "Earlier in the week, House GOP leadership aides dismissed Powell's entreaty, saying that the decision by the administration's top diplomat to meet with Arafat significantly reduced his standing among House Republicans."
"'A lot of conservatives view Arafat as totally discredited, and they suspect that the State Department is always the softer of the players involved with U.S. negotiations,' one Republican leadership aide remarked."
"The source also complained that, unlike some other administration officials, Powell has failed to cultivate a relationship with Congress, and that on foreign policy matters, House GOP leaders are more likely to accept marching orders from President Bush or Vice President Cheney."
"'Some department head, no matter who he is, is not going to tell the Speaker of the House what to do,' the aide said. 'You add to that that Powell has not been someone who has been known to have a particularly cozy relationship with Republicans leaders.'"
The New York Times ' Todd Purdum takes us around the world this week with Secretary of State Colin Powell, on ABCNEWS Radio's Here's the Point
Economy
The Wall Street Journal remains bearish on the economy, with today's lead story playing down the first quarter numbers: "[S]igns of fragility linger."
"Profits, though improving, remain deeply depressed. Business pessimism is restraining capital spending and hiring. And the risk of higher oil prices caused by turmoil in the Middle East clouds the outlook."
"The economy grew at a 5.8% annualized pace in the first quarter, the fastest in two years. But more than half the growth came from businesses increasing production because they emptied warehouses and cut inventories so much last year."
"That will give the economy a boost only temporarily. The vitality of the recovery depends on a rebound in business spending on equip.m.ent, software and buildings, and that fell at a 5.7% rate in the first quarter."
And Bob Bartley, inside the paper, wants those Bush tax cuts made permanent, in large part because "Obviously the economy has hit a patch of pessimism," he writes.
ABC 2004: The Invisible Primary
Senator John Edwards did his usual parrying to Charlie's thrusts about 2004 on GMA this morning, but the fact remains that the guy is about to make his second trip to New Hampshire this year, his fourth trip to Iowa since the 2000 election, and two trips to South Carolina within 10 days in early May. So while it's good that Edwards managed to work in that line about how he has visited all of North Carolina's 100 counties, well hey, so has Elizabeth Dole, just about …
Read our round-up of the Senator's prospectin' schedule.
Senator Joseph Lieberman gave more than $25,000 to Iowa candidates and interests during the first quarter of 2002, making him the most generous congressional PAC warden of the 2004 bunch. That we knew already.
But the Des Moines Register helpfully tallies the other contributions: Rep. Dick Gephardt's $2,500 donation to Julie Thomas, who is running against Rep. Jim Leach. And $1,000 contributions by Senator John Edwards, Senator John Kerry and Senator Tom Daschle.
( http://desmoinesregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/18046642.html )
What these records don't show are soft-money contributions, like Edwards' gift of lots of computers to the Iowa Democratic party. Or the money the wannabes spent on get-out-the-vote calls for the caucuses in January.
Al Gore received the Harvard College Democrats' "Democrat of the Year award" Friday.
( http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=205363)
This coming Wednesday, Tipper Gore will get an award from Uncommon Legacy, a group that gives money to help lesbians, at its eighth annual Celebration of Women event in Washington.
As noted above, the Gores will spend this coming weekend hawking their forthcoming book at BookExpo America, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. A book tour will follow after the thing actually is published.
Today, Senator John Kerry will address the Connecticut Democratic caucus.
Possible presidential candidate Al Sharpton will announce his 2004 platform this Thursday at the National Press Club.
On Friday, Kerry will keynote the South Carolina Democratic party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Columbia, while Edwards will speak at the party's convention in Columbia on Saturday, then head to Michigan to address state Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson dinner there.
Also on Friday, Vermont Gov. Howard Dean will keynote the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Bar Association Dinner in Cambridge. The following day, Dean will headline the Empire State Pride Agenda annual dinner in New York.
The World's Most Important Newspaper (once every four years, at least), the Manchester Union Leader, has the good sense to run Roger Simon's syndicated column, thus giving its readers a chance to read all about our Invisible Primary Ratings. (One more time: Bill Bradley, send us a sign.)
( http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_show.html?article=10719 )
Politics
North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms is now in stable condition after open heart surgery last Monday.
( http://newsobserver.com/news/story/1334335p-1371936c.html )
The New York Times ' Van Natta should just break down and get 1) dual citizenship in Arkansas; and 2) walkie talkies for tie-line access to Democratic National Committee chairman McAuliffe. Today, Van Natta does a withering job on "whither the Clinton library."
"Bill Clinton has reached the home stretch of his campaign to raise $200 million for his presidential library, with about $145 million pledged so far, supporters of the library say. But some supporters are concerned that Mr. Clinton … is facing an uphill struggle to reach his goal, because only $21 million that has been pledged is in the bank and they expect the last $55 million to be the hardest to raise."
( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/politics/29LIBR.html )
Neal Travis and Page Six have Bill Clinton items today. Travis claims FPOTUS will speak out soon and finally on the Middle East soon, and also that he is hosting a Gotham money event for Senate candidate and Gov. Jeanne Shaheen in precisely one week. ( http://www.pagesix.com/nealtravis/nealtravis.htm )
And
( http://www.nypost.com/gossip/pagesix.htm _
Bob Novak contends that the Clinton Administration doled out more than $650 million in corporate welfare to Enron, mostly through Import-Export bank loans.
( http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/cst-edt-novak29.html )
The Washington Times takes the latest look at how Democrats plan/hope to make Social Security the big issue of the 2002 elections, and captures some of the internal split within the GOP over how to deal — or not — with the issue, with some Republicans and the White House seeming to think it's a good idea to address it this year, and GOP House campaign committee chief Tom Davis saying it's, um, not. "When asked if the Republican Party would be running on the issue, Rep. Thomas M. Davis III of Virginia, the National Republican Congressional Committee chairman, said: 'Not on your life. We're staying away from that.'"
( http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020429-26892420.htm
In an apparent political adaptation of that "what are you going to wear?" round of phone calls, several papers offer stories setting up some of the bigger gubernatorial races of this cycle.
Rick Berke makes Wisconsin's Scott McCallum the Post er governor for GOP worries about a 2002 bloodbath among their governorships. The two best parts of the story are Berke's listing of McCallum's mantra: ("[I]f President Bush runs for two hours a day, why shouldn't I be able to play basketball two times a week?"), and RNC spokesTexan Mindy Tucker's fretting that the party is so focused on the Senate races that it is neglecting its needy governor candidates. ( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/politics/29GOVS.html )
One Washington Post story looks at the sinking standing of Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura (I), who still hasn't said whether or not he's running for a second term …
( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64478-2002Apr28.html )
… while another Post story, leading by handicapping the (seemingly strong) prospects of Michigan Democratic candidate Jennifer Granholm (D), looks at how women are "strong contenders in at least a dozen of the 36 states where the top job is on the ballot in November — twice as many as ever before. Like Michigan, most of these states would be electing a woman for the first time."
( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64423-2002Apr28.html )
North Carolina
Democratic Senate candidate Erskine Bowles has pulled his pre-primary TV advertising because, well, no one knows when the primary actually will take place because of two separate court battles.
( http://newsobserver.com/news/story/1334330p-1371940c.html )
Florida
Gov. Jeb Bush (R) finally has begun to campaign openly for re-election.
"But even as warring among his own party's legislative leadership has mired the governor in an unwelcome, protracted daily grind in the capital — opening him to criticism for failing to lead — Bush has managed to quietly fashion a well-oiled campaign. He has flown aboard private jets to high-dollar fundraisers in Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Houston, Dallas and other locales. He never broke his pledge on raising money for the campaign. But he also never stopped putting his hand out to collect for the state Republican Party, which will actually bankroll most of his reelection with more than $20 million in the unlimited, unregulated corporate cash called 'soft money."'
( http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/3157834.htm )
"Bush aides say Saturday's barbecue, which brought more than 600 GOP faithful to the 20,000-acre cattle ranch of Alto 'Bud' Adams about 10 miles west of Fort Pierce, is more indicative of the kind of campaign the governor will run than his more stealthy schedule of recent months."
There is nothing more pungent than two-week old string, which we are guessing is the basis for David Lightman's dateline-Orlando story about Janet Reno's tireless campaigning style.
( http://www.ctnow.com/news/politics/hc -reno0427.artapr29.story?coll=hc%2Dheadlines%2Dpolitics )
New Hampshire
We love the Concord Monitor , but their website ain't the greatest. Which is why we doubly appreciate the little bird up in the Granite State who makes sure we see key components of the hard copy of the paper. Like the weekend item about one Republican strategist floating the idea that GOP Rep. John Sununu drop his primary challenge to Senator Bob Smith and run for re-election to his House seat.
Under said strategist's theory, the state's other US Senator, Judd Gregg, would get some kind of nice Administration job after the 2002 elections and the state's newly elected Republican governor — remember, this is all one man's dream, apparently — would appoint Sununu to replace Gregg.
While this scenario seems a little far-fetched to us, we'd note that it would have the benefit of not forcing Sununu to raise a lot of money to win a Senate seat right off the bat, which is something he doesn't seem to like doing, anyway.
South Dakota
Republican National Committee co-chair Ann Wagner told South Dakotans that 2002 might be the year for Republican women. ( http://www.argusleader.com/news/Mondayarticle4.shtml )
David Kranz gets Rep. John Thune to open up about his Senate race against Democratic incumbent Tim Johnson, concluding the "concession" that state Republicans are still basking in the glory of President Bush's visit. ( http://www.argusleader.com/columnists/dkranz/04_28_02.shtml )
Tennessee
The Tennessean attends Professor Lamar!'s Kennedy School class. ( http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/02/04/16705108.shtml?Element_ID=16705108 )
Rhode Island
"U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, plunging into his toughest re-election race yet, is borrowing a page from the late U.S. Rep. J. Joseph Moakley's vaunted political playbook. The 34-year-old congressman has flooded his eastern Rhode Island district with more than $121 million in federal pork he secured with his seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee last year."
( http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/patk04292002.htm )
Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Democratic party has just $67,000 in the bank, despite being presented with their best shot at taking back the governorship in over a decade — making them pretty ill-equipped at the moment to assist their party's eventual nominee.
( http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/dems04292002.htm )
Minnesota
Republicans in Minnesota hope that Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone's populism will lead to his defeat. Wellstone says he's a fighter, but what, Republicans ask, has he actually accomplished?
"Wellstone said he has accomplished plenty in 11 1/2 years, playing key roles in passing legislation to help schools, veterans, farmers, victims of domestic abuse, workers seeking job training and tightening Senate ethics and campaign finance rules." ( http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/2263958.html )
"He may soon have another item to claim as a major accomplishment: President Bush is expected today to announce his support for a Wellstone bill that would force employers to expand insurance coverage for mental illnesses — an idea opposed by House Republican leaders and business groups."
"If the bill passes, it would rank as perhaps the crowning legislative achievement of Wellstone's career," … which makes us wonder what the White House thinks about that, since Wellstone is their number-two Senate target.
Campaign Finance
Direct mail consultants are rubbing their hands with glee over what the anticipate will be a direct mail boom once McCain-Feingold kicks in. The law "says little or nothing about direct mail, telephone banks or campaigning on the Internet, and those are precisely the areas that political consultants are hoping to cash in on."
( http://www.rollcall.com/pages/politics/00/2002/04/pol0429a.html )
Bush Administration Strategy/Personality
There is public interest value in having presidential and vice presidential fundraisers open to the press, and that includes the type of "donor maintenance" events the president had last week in Crawford. We are amazed that a President so committed to sunshine as the best campaign finance reform would choose to close so many of his events to the press, which serves, as Karen Hughes knows, as the public interests' watchdog.
Our favorite part of the White House press office's fighting off of press inqueries on why the event was closed was when they claimed that the president's remarks were exactly the same as the ones he makes in open press events.
Deborah Orin tries her hand at an old but under-covered story: 43 looks older than when he took office, and we don't mean that tautologically. Only the hard copy has the not-too-well-chosen before and after photos meant to illustrate the wear and tear of war on the POTUS. ( http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/46712.htm )
Ari Fleischer spoke at a Waco Synagogue, but the presidential spokesperson wouldn't let reporters in. ( http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/1386396 )
"Attorneys for the General Accounting Office and the Justice Department have agreed to a briefing schedule for the watchdog agency's lawsuit against Vice President Cheney and the National Energy Policy Develop.m.ent Group," Roll Call reports. "Justice will file a motion opposing summary judgment May 21. GAO will file a reply July 1, followed by another reply from Justice Aug. 12."
( http://www.rollcall.com/pages/news/00/2002/04/news0429i.html )
The most important aspect of Elizabeth Bumiller's White House Letter in the New York Times is that she reveals to the world one of the most important facts of the Bush Administration (at least to the reporters who cover it): press office manager Rachel Sunbarger is "highly efficient," and that might even understate things.
( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/national/29LETT.html )
To paraphrase Bob Eucker, the New York Times article about the apparent dispute between the White House and its own Justice Department over whether to declare that local and state police departments have the power to track down illegal immigrants must be on the front page.
( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/politics/29IMMI.html )
Media
Father of two, Bob Rubin collaborator, and Shuttle Societist Jacob Weisberg is taking over Slate from Michael Kinsley, which, along with the Tribeca Film Festival, is a big part of revitalizing downtown Manhattan, since Weisberg will run the webzine from back east. ( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/business/media/29SLATE.html )
Rush and Molloy say that Michael Bloomberg will skip the Bloomberg party after the White House Correspondents Dinner, but that Bloomberg News will have Harrison Ford as one of its guests. ( http://www.mostnewyork.com/today/News_and_ Views/Daily_Dish/a-149209.asp )
-- 11:50 am, President Bush takes part in a roundtable, then makes remarks on mental health, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
-- 12 noon, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice deliver annual Rostov Lecture on International Affairs, Johns Hopkins University, DC
-- 12:30 pm, State Department briefing
-- 1:00 pm, Senate meets to consider omnibus trade legislation
-- 2:00 pm, House meets for pro forma session
-- 2:10 pm, President Bush attends a fundraiser for Rep. Heather Wilson, Albuquerque
-- 4:00 pm, Steve Forbes gives speech on the Bush Administration's economic policies and the future of the economy, Columbia University
-- 5:50 pm, President Bush takes part in a roundtable, then makes remarks on economic development issues and his faith-based agenda, St. Regis Hotel, Los Angeles
-- 10:00 pm, President Bush attends a fundraiser for GOP gubernatorial nominee Bill Simon, Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles
-- 11:35 pm, Ari Fleischer appears on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno"
-- April 29: Sen. John Kerry addresses Connecticut Democratic caucus, CT
-- April 30: National Right To Life annual "Proudly Pro-Life" Dinner, DC
-- May 1: Vice President Hu Jintao of China meets with Vice President Cheney
-- May 2: President Bush hosts U.S.-E.U. Summit, DC
-- May 2: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean campaigns for Steve Grossman, Boston.
-- May 2: Rev. Al Sharpton announces presidential platform, DC
-- May 3: Sen. John Kerry keynotes South Carolina Democratic Party Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Columbia, SC
-- May 3: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean keynotes Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Bar Association Dinner, Cambridge, MA
-- May 4: Sen. John Edwards addresses South Carolina Democratic convention, Columbia, SC, and addresses Michigan Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson dinner -- May 3-4: Jose Maria Aznar, President of Spain, visits Washington.
-- May 3-5: Former Vice President Gore and Tipper Gore appear at BookExpo America to tout their forthcoming book, Jacob Javits Center, New York
-- May 4: New Hampshire GOP gubernatorial candidates forum, St. Paul's School, Concord, NH
-- May 4: Kentucky Derby, with politicians galore in attendance
-- May 4: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean keynotes Empire State Pride Agenda annual dinner, New York
-- May 4: White House Correspondents' Dinner, headlined by comedian Drew Carey.
-- May 4: American Trial Lawyers' Association Board of Governors Meeting, Annapolis, MD.
-- May 5: AFL-CIO meeting, New York
-- May 5: Sen. John Edwards addresses Michigan Democrats, MI
-- May 6: first New Hampshire gubernatorial debate, both parties, Mount Washington Hotel
-- May 6: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean speaks at fundraiser for Iowa House Democratic Caucus, Iowa City, Iowa.
-- May 9: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean speaks at DNC Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council Chairman's Dinner
-- May 10: Bill Clinton appears at Natural Resources Defense Council fundraiser with Steve Martin and more, Los Angeles
-- May 10: Mary Matalin headlines Iowa GOP fundraising dinner
-- May 11: New Hampshire Democratic gubernatorial candidates forum, St. Paul's School, Concord, NH
-- May 11: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean keynotes Wyoming Democratic party convention, Rock Springs, WY
-- May 13:Vermont Gov. Howard Dean raises money for Rep. Jim Maloney, Southbury, CT
-- May 13: North Carolina Sen. John Edwards stumps at Galivants Ferry Stump Meeting, SC.
-- May 14: Bill Bradley campaigns for NH gubernatorial candidate Mark Fernald, Londonderry, NH
-- May 14: Newark mayoral election
-- May 16: Vice President Dick Cheney headlines GOP fundraiser, NYC
-- May 16: former President and Nancy Reagan to receive the Congressional Gold Medal (Mrs.Reagan to accept), DC
-- May 17: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean speaks to Gill Foundation Outgiving Conference, San Francisco
-- May 19: Al and Tipper Gore's 32nd wedding anniversary
-- May 20: Florida Democrats Jefferson-Jackson dinner, speaker TBD
-- May 21: Pennsylvania primary (Democratic primary for governor)
-- May 22-23: New York Democratic party convention, Sheraton New York, NYC
-- May 22-23: President and Mrs. Bush visit Berlin
--May 22: AFL-CIO members expected to ratify increased dues levy for political purposes, New York, NY
-- May 22: Democratic National Convention site selection committee meets to decide on possible sites and a site visit schedule, DC
-- May 23-25: President and Mrs. Bush visit Moscow
-- May 24: signature deadline for some California ballot initiatives
-- May 25: signature deadline for Oregon ballot initiatives
-- May 27--30: U.S. Senate/U.S. House not in session
-- May 27: Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd's birthday
-- May 28: South Dakota pre-primary financial disclosure forms due
-- May 28-29: New York GOP Convention (Gov. George Pataki's formal renomination)
-- June 1: New Hampshire Democratic Party State Convention
-- June 1: Massachusetts Democratic Party State Convention
-- July 1-5: U.S. Senate/U.S. House not in session
-- June 4: Iowa Primary
-- June 4: South Dakota Primary
-- June 7: President Rudolf Schuster of the Slovak Republic visits Washington
-- June 7: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean gives commencement speech at University of Michigan medical school
-- June 7: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean keynotes Michigan House Democratic Caucus reception
-- June 8: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean gives commencement speech at Dartmouth medical school, NH
-- June 10: North Carolina Senator John Edwards' birthday.
-- June 11: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean keynotes Clinton County, NY Salute to Labor Committee celebration.
-- June 14: North Carolina Senator John Edwards speaks to Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame, Polk County,
-- June 15-16: Iowa Democratic Party state convention
-- June 13-15: Texas Democratic party convention, El Paso
-- June 27: Rep. Jim Traficant's sentencing scheduled to take place
-- June 23-25: Election Law Summit, Washington, D.C.
-- June 27-30: Southern Republican Leadership Conference, Charlotte
-- July 4: WMUR Statehouse reporter Scott Spradling to wed.
-- July 5: last day for Washington state ballot measures to be presented
-- July 6: President Bush's birthday.
-- July 9-12: Northwest Regional Election Conference, Portland, Oregon
-- July 13: Sen. Joe Lieberman keynotes Louisiana Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson dinner
-- July 15: New York periodic disclosure forms due
-- July 20-24: American Trial Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta
-- July 28: Bill Bradley's birthday.
-- Aug. 6: Michigan primary (Democratic primary for governor)
-- Aug. 7: last day for Ohio ballot measures to be presented
-- Aug. 14: Lynne Cheney's birthday.
-- Aug. 19: Bill Clinton's birthday.
-- Aug 19: Tipper Gore's birthday.
-- Aug. 20: Georgia primaries
-- Aug 26: Jury selection begins in John Walker Lindh trial
-- Sept. 10: Florida, New Hampshire, and New York primaries (Florida: Democratic primary for governor; New Hampshire: Republican primary for Senate and primaries on both sides for governor; New York: Democratic primary for governor)
-- Sept. 17: Massachusetts primary (Democratic primary for governor)
-- Sept. 30: Jury selection begins for trial of Zacarias Moussaoui
-- Sept. 30: Discovery ends in McCain-Feingold lawsuit (tentative).
-- Oct. 4: Al Sharpton's birthday.
-- Oct. 15 (tentative): Zacarias Moussaoui trial begins
-- October 26: New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's birthday
-- Nov. 4: Laura Bush's birthday
-- Nov. 4: Deadline for opening briefs, McCain-Feingold lawsuit (tentative).
-- Nov. 5: Election Day
-- Nov. 17: Vermont Governor Howard Dean's birthday.
-- Nov. 18: Deadline for opposition briefs, McCain-Feingold lawsuit (tentative).
-- Nov. 20: Delaware Senator. Joseph Biden's birthday
-- Dec. 4: Oral arguments begun in McCain-Feingold lawsuit. (tentative)
-- Dec. 9: South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle's birthday
-- Dec. 11: Massachusetts Senator John Kerry's birthday
-- Dec. 13: Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack's birthday
-- Dec. 26: California Governor. Gray Davis's birthday
-- Jan. 30, 2003: Vice President Dick Cheney's birthday
-- Jan. 31, 2003: Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt's birthday
-- Feb. 24, 2003: Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman's birthday
-- March 11, 2003: Georgia Governor Roy Barnes's birthday
-- March 31, 2003: Al Gore's birthday
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