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At the same time, it's another bad corporate responsibility day for the GOP's candidate in the year's biggest race, who, as best we can tell, will not be appearing with the Vice President in California.

In homage to the president's favorite movie and to Robert Wagner, we begin this morning with "Number Two."

Just as Dick Cheney is the most influential vice president in modern history, he has just about the most influential Veep staff in modern history.

Cheney's people are given a wide berth inside the West Wing, and they are talented enough to produce major league output.

Place your bets now: how many of the applicable cable networks (four in this case: add CNBC) will take Cheney's San Francisco economic speech live?

According to an advance draft of Cheney's remarks obtained by the Note, the Vice President plans to make one of the most muscular, broad arguments for the Bush economic agenda to date, in an appearance that also happens to be his first major public outing in many weeks. He also intends to utter some tough words for Iraq's leader.

While the speech draft contains no new news, a Cheney adviser says he will take unscreened questions after his remarks from both members of the Commonwealth Club and from the press. A club moderator will pick the questioners.

Although Cheney will likely deviate from the text at least somewhat, a late draft shows a speech that reviews the economic history of the end of the Clinton Administration and of the Bush-Cheney years, with a listing of the fundamentals of the economy that Cheney sees as strong, all infused with a Reaganesque optimism and bullishness about long-term prospects:

"In the past eighteen months, the United States has gone through a serious economic slowdown … a great national emergency and a war abroad … and a series of scandals in corporate America. Yet there is no doubting that our nation is stronger than ever before."

There's also an emphasis on the free market and the steps the White House has taken to improve economic conditions: "[T]he rebate checks, the additional rate reductions on tax day, and the stimulus package — have helped turn three quarters of decline into three quarters of positive growth. By leaving more money in the hands that earned it, we trusted the American people — and the American people have produced this recovery."

"We believe the economy is poised for sustained growth without inflation — so long as we hold to the right policies."

All eyes are likely to be on that split-screen stock ticker during this part: "I am not here today to analyze the stock market. Yet we're all aware that just as the first signs of recession became visible in 2000, the equity markets began a major adjustment in the spring of that year. Some of the more recent declines are at least partly explained by a loss of confidence after some reports of misdeeds in the corporate sector."

"We are pleased that Congress came together to pass the president's corporate integrity proposals, and last week he signed the most far-reaching reforms of American business practice since Franklin Roosevelt lived in the White House."

Cheney plans to call on the Senate to join the House in passing pension reform and making the president's tax cuts permanent.

He also will call for passing terrorism insurance, for Congress to exercise spending restraint in areas beyond the president's policies, and for Congress to pass the president's energy policies (with a nod this time toward conservation, since we aren't in Canada anymore), lower federal regulation, and expanded trade.

When he turns to national security at the end of his speech, the Vice President is expected to use his usual tough, unyielding language: "We still face an enemy determined to kill Americans by any means, on any scale, and on our own soil. We're dealing with a terror network that has cells in more than 60 countries. Such a group cannot be held back by deterrence nor reasoned with by diplomats. For this reason, the war against terror will not end in a treaty. There will be no summit meeting or negotiations with the terrorists. This conflict can end only in their complete and utter destruction."

And unlike the president, who most of the time only speaks of Saddam Hussein indirectly, Cheney's speech text includes an explicit mention:

"The attacks of 9/11 confront us with a whole new set of considerations — from our ongoing vulnerability to international terrorism, to the possibility that terrorists will gain access to weapons of mass destruction. In the rubble of Afghanistan we've found confirmation, if any were needed, that bin Laden and the al-Qaeda network were seriously interested in nuclear and radiological weapons, and in biological and chemical agents."

"It's one thing to have that sort of possibility discussed in foreign policy seminars. It's quite another to have in your hand documents clearly describing their aspirations and plans for acquiring these capabilities, so that they can use them against the United States and our friends and allies around the world. In the case of Saddam Hussein, we have a dictator who is clearly pursuing these capabilities — and has used them, both in his war against Iran and against his own people."

We will wait and watch with everyone else to see if Mr. Cheney gets any Halliburton questions, and we wonder if the staff murder-boarded answers with him, or if the old pro will just wing it. LINK

It seems to us that he would refuse to engage in any of the Halliburton specifics (what with the ongoing SEC probe and all), but that this might be a good time to get him to answer an essay question on CEO responsibility and corporate governance — or something along those lines.

Per the San Francisco Examiner, the Veep will be well protected today: "Local cops are bracing for a showdown with protesters who have vowed to disrupt Vice President Dick Cheney's brief visit to San Francisco on Wednesday." LINK

"'We're paying more attention to detail this time around,' said Lt. Kit Krenshaw of the police department's Special Investigative Division, tasked with protecting ranking politicians and dignitaries visiting The City … "

"Protesters, led by the local chapter of the International Action Committee, have vowed to field hundreds of people railing against the government's war on terrorists, the continuing campaign in Afghanistan and detention of people of Arab descent in the United States."

"Richard Becker, head of the IAC's West Coast office, said the IAC would not attempt to infiltrate hecklers inside the meeting hall at the Fairmont where Cheney is expected to speak at 8 a.m. to the Commonwealth Club."

"Krenshaw is taking no chances."

"'We take every visit by the president and vice president seriously, but given the talk of a possible war looming with Iraq, this visit is more sensitive,' he said."

The California Democratic party is welcoming Cheney to San Francisco with a really big "WANTED" poster. It's very cute, but it reflects mostly the gut view of the political elites in the Democratic party: Cheney as a caricature worth entirely of scorn.

"Aliases: Dick Cheney, Big Time, Oil Man, 'The Man Who's Really In Charge.'
Occupation: Vice President of the U.S.; former CEO of Halliburton.
Cautionary Data: Frequently goes into hiding in 'undisclosed locations.' Should you question Cheney on his Halliburton dealings, you will likely be labeled 'unpatriotic' or even 'pro-terrorism.'
Known to have business connections with the 'Axis of Evil.'"

After his speech, Cheney will headline a fundraiser for GOP House candidate Dick Monteith, who is seeking (the redistricted version of) Rep. Gary Condit's old seat.

Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Simon will be in Oakland today, but apparently won't be showing up at Cheney's side. Questions for the Simon campaign and the Veep's office: was a joint appearance never in the works? Does the lack of one have anything to do with Simon's ongoing business problems?

As we learn from Messrs. Finnegan and Rabin of the Los Angeles Times , despite Simon's saying "he played almost no role in the business fiasco that led a jury last week to levy $78 million in damages against his family's investment firm," and despite the fact that he "casts himself as a peripheral player" in the fraudulent pay phone company venture, "court records show Simon … participated in every stage of the partnership … " LINK

Last week, when Simon's firm got hit with that jury award, there was some ado over whether or not President Bush would be seen with Simon when Bush heads to the state later in August. We woke up this morning wondering the same thing about Cheney today, and the Contra Costa Times reports:

"As Cheney speaks to the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco this morning, Simon will appear across the Bay delivering a speech to the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce … State Republican leaders insist there is no hidden message in Cheney's plans. They note that President Bush will be out in two weeks to stump for Simon, and that Cheney will help expand Simon's coffers." LINK

The San Francisco Chronicle parses the "bad business" acumen that they see in Simon's depositions. LINK

All of which kind of strikes at the heart of Simon's efforts to cast Democratic Gov. Gray Davis as an incompetent and even corrupt manager of the state. For many close observers, it is looking more and more like Simon might be the ONLY person Gray Davis can beat.

If Davis wins, we might have a reverse of the 1994 situation in which Ann Richards lost the Texas governorship with high approval ratings. Davis might flip that equation and get re-elected with record LOW approval ratings.

As President Bush heads to Jackson, MS and his fundraiser for GOP Rep. Chip Pickering, USA Today 's Drinkard looks at Pickering's race against Democratic Rep. Ronnie Shows, one of four member-versus-member general election match-ups caused by redistricting this year, and one where Democrats really have pushed the corporate accountability button, given that the district is home to WorldCom's HQ.

But Drinkard suggests "there are early signs in this rural district of pine woods and poultry farms that the issue of corporate accountability alone won't be enough to propel a come-from-behind Shows victory." The story mentions several other races where the issue is playing (arguably bigger). LINK

Venerable Rep. John Dingell's emphasis on corporate responsibility, which he made the focus of two TV ads, helped to assure his tenure through at least 2004, now that he has defeated fellow Rep. Lynn Rivers in Michigan's 15th district primary, 59 percent to 41 percent.

Unlike another Democratic House candidate in Tennessee who won his primary last week after criticizing his top opponent on the issue, Dingell did not make it a point of attack, but used it as one prime example of his lengthy list of legislative accomplishments in his effort to sway voters.

All that being said, Dingell's margin of victory, bigger than was widely expected, probably can be attributed more to labor's get-out-the-vote efforts on his behalf than anything else.

This particular primary, as has been widely noted (and Noted), spotlighted the crack in the Democratic party coalition between more conservative, blue-collar, pro-gun-rights union voters and more liberal, highly focused interest groups like EMILY's List and green organizations.

Here's the Eilperin/Balz take from the Washington Post : LINK

Mr. Waxman, Ms. Pelosi, and Ms. Malcolm should probably send a joint congratulatory fruit basket to the winner — like, a really BIG fruit basket, and we'd think long and hard about what language to put on the card.

In addition, Democrats nominated two strong woman candidates for governor yesterday, state Attorney General Jennifer Granholm and state Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius, in Michigan and Kansas, respectively. Both women seem to have about 50-50 odds, if not better, of winning this November.

And the GOP House campaign committee's chosen candidate in Kansas' most competitive House race lost in the primary to his nationally dissed opponent. Rick Berke may no longer be reporting, but his legacy lives on: he got committee chairman Tom Davis on the record earlier referring to the GOP's now newly minted nominee as "a nice kid" who "has no clue."

The Politics of the Economy

The Washington Post 's Berry dares to poke around on a taboo subject: the prospect of soon-to-be-Sir Alan Greenspan's LIBK possible retirement from the Fed. That said, those unnamed Bush Administration officials with whom Berry spoke seem to think the Chief will be around for awhile. LINK

"Rather than a foreshortened term, some Fed watchers and administration officials … believe Bush will do what President Clinton did in January 2000: keep the chairmanship out of election-year politics by announcing a Greenspan reappointment months in advance of the end of his term."

"Furthermore, if the Senate remains under Democratic control after this year's election, no Bush appointee for the chairmanship other than Greenspan would be likely to even get a confirmation hearing because of the possible election of a Democrat to the White House in 2004. Under law, when a chairmanship term expires without a successor confirmed, the chairman can retain his powers if the board or the president designates him as chairman pro tempore, which has happened twice with Greenspan."

Economist Henry Kaufman's prescriptions aren't going anywhere politically (more tax cuts, including in cap gains), but the White House had better notice the opening graphs of his Wall Street Journal op-ed today: "[T]he risks of a double dip — a second recession following closely on the heels of the last — are very real, as financial constraints continue to bear down on the economy … "

"There are plenty of worrisome signs out there. To begin with, start-ups — a wellspring of economic vitality — face an initial public offering market that is virtually shut down. Established businesses face high borrowing costs, in spite of the low federal funds rate of 1%. The problem is that access to low-cost borrowing through the issuance of commercial paper is highly restricted. Many corporations have been forced to pay off low-cost paper with higher-cost bank loans and bond issues. The high-yield corporate bond market — a source of funds for many marginal firms — is shrinking rapidly. Meanwhile, the sharp drop in stock prices is forcing a growing number of corporations to move capital into their unfunded pension plans."

"Nor has interest rate behavior offered much comfort. Every time stocks rally, bond yields tend to rise as well. This is unusual for the early phase of a recovery, when rising stock prices typically are accompanied by falling, or at least stable, bond prices."

"Household wealth, even factoring in the run-up in home values, has fallen from a high of about $44 trillion in 2000 to below $36 trillion. And by any historical measure, current household debt is lofty. Just how much indebtedness can be heaped upon U.S. households? Only a notable rise in employment and real income can sustain another wave of new household debt, and even that might ultimately put households in the same debt squeeze now plaguing companies."

The Politics of Corporate Responsibility

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's soft-money report has been out there for a week, showing a $100,000 donation from a Mr. Jack Grubman, dated June 27, 2002, the very day he was subpoenaed to testify before a House Financial Services committee. Even so, reporters who sometimes need to be spoon fed such things are only getting to it now.

The tidbit has been making the rounds in Republican circles, and several news organizations were pointed to it yesterday, so it shows up in the paper today.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Grubman sent the check on June 23, two days before WorldCom told the world of its accounting problems. (Grubman, as you'll recall, had been a champion of WorldCom stock.)

The DSCC tells us — and the Journal -- that they did not solicit the specific check and had no control over when it was sent, and they have no plans to return or redirect the dough. Grubman had given in the past.

"Citigroup's Salomon Smith Barney referred comment to Grubman's attorney Lee Richards, who said: 'Jack Grubman has been involved in politics for a number of years. He has made contributions to both Democrats and Republicans. In fact the check for the contribution in question was made out before he knew he would be testifying before Congress.'" LINK

The Washington Post 's Weisman rounds up criticisms of the new corporate responsibility law. LINK

ABC 2004: The Invisible Primary

The Lady Dowd rebuts recent Al Gore activity with one of her classics, offering outstanding reporting, analysis, and perspective, all wrapped up in the tartly written package that makes her the best on her best days. LINK

It's all along the lines of the "Saint Albans A&M" critique of the former Vice President's populism, and it is wicked cutting (as we says in Providence).

No offense to Cal Thomas, but it's a more amusing read than his "those who live in glass houses" op-ed in the Washington Times , which basically seeks to make the same point. LINK

The Hotline's Chuck Todd suggests that whether or not Lieberman is well-positioned to run in 2004 could depend on how the GOP fares in 2002. To connect the dots: "Clearly, with the economy and stock market dominating the headlines, more Democrats are smelling GOP blood in the water and coming down on the side of Gore's populist rhetoric. That's exactly what strategists from both the Democratic House and Senate campaign committees were espousing earlier this week … They weren't coming right out and admitting, 'We're campaigning on Al Gore's message,'" but "the litany of issues they said the Republicans are vulnerable on certainly is reminiscent of Gore's final 2000 campaign weeks."

And moreover, if that message succeeds, "A vindicated Al Gore probably is a motivated Al Gore, and a motivated Al Gore is tough to beat."

After which Mr. Todd also throws out the "wouldn't it be loverly" idea of, after all this, Gore and Lieberman teaming up for a repeat run.

Top New Hampshire Democratic observer Bill Siroty, to whose cult following the Note belongs, points out that the Democratic Leadership Council's analysis of why Gore lost ignores Ralph Nader and the fact that "by emphasizing, rather than ignoring 'the people versus the powerful' theme … Gore would have siphoned off votes from Nader and won both Florida and the national election. Articulating the New Democratic pro-business themes in the 2000 election would have caused more voters to abandon the Gore-Lieberman ticket and would have guaranteed their defeat."

Hey: we wonder what the union leaders who met with Al Gore last week had to say about Nader?

Nader, by the way, is on Capitol Hill today, speaking to progressive-minded interns.

With the I-Man having taken ill, the show re-ran the recent Lieberman chat, re-playing the Senator's renewing the Pledge unequivocally and being very praising of his former running mate.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle took some time out of his day to write a letter (published this very day) to the Wall Street Journal to respond to their July 25 editorial on forest management.

We'll let this e-mailed invite speak for itself: "Next Sunday, August 11, dedicated staff, volunteers and activists are canvassing statewide … to build even greater support for your next United States Senator, Jeanne Shaheen, and the New Hampshire Democratic ticket."

"With the busy pace of politics, it's easy to forget to thank hard working activists for their blood, sweat, and tears in campaigns. With so many people giving so much time in the heat of summer, I thought now was as good a time as ever to stop and thank them for their hard work — that's why I am hosting a Backyard BBQ this Sunday after the statewide canvass. I hope you can join me at 4:30 p.m. at Marilyn and Alan Hoffman's home in Londonderry … "

"Warm regards, John Kerry."

The Rev. Al Sharpton is writing a pre-campaign platform/biography/manifesto due out in October, co-written with New York Daily News er Karen Hunter.

The publisher, Kensington, is a leading producer of romances, gay erotic fiction, and Mayo Clinic imprints, and bills itself as the only full-time independent book house in America.

A press release promises a "startling, often controversial" read.

And read it, we will.

Politics

The New York Times has a pretty good line-by-line of Congress' September 6 trip to New York. LINK

With Michigan-15 out of the way, the Washington Post 's Von Drehle looks ahead to the next member-versus-member primary, this time on the GOP side, in Georgia's newly drawn 7th district, where Reps. Bob Barr ("whose proudest achievement, he says, was his role in the impeachment of President Bill Clinton") and John Linder ("a congressional insider with all the pizzazz you'd expect from a man whose dream job is to chair the Rules Committee") are going at it. The primary is August 20. LINK

The New York Times adds this: "On Saturday, a bus tour from Hiram in the west of the district to Buford in the east will feature stumping by Wayne LaPierre of the rifle association, David A. Keene of the American Conservative Union, Lori Waters of the Eagle Forum, the Rev. Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition, the talk show host G. Gordon Liddy and Grover Norquist, a leading conservative strategist in Washington." LINK

"Kenneth W. Starr, the independent counsel who investigated Mr. Clinton, will be at a $250 per person fund-raiser [for Barr] next Wednesday."

We don't know whether this story was timed to the eve of the Democratic National Committee's summer meeting, or not, but just as the DNC gets set to tout its Hispanic candidates for office this year, the Washington Times ' Miller comes up with a head count on the number of black and Latino GOP candidates, "with party leaders touting 20 black and 39 Hispanic candidates in federal and major state elections." LINK

"Democrats, though, continue to run more black candidates, with 27 non-incumbents running for statewide and federal offices. The Democratic Party has not tracked its overall number of minority candidates this fall."

The Washington Times ' Dinan notes the absence of wealthy self-funding Democratic candidates from Senate races this year, as compared to last cycle. LINK

The Washington Post 's VandeHei notes that ethics investigations on Capitol Hill have slowed to a trickle thanks to "an unwritten detente struck five years ago by Republican and Democratic congressional leaders," and as a result, "several cases of questionable conduct have led to little or no action by the House and Senate ethics committees." LINK

Michigan

The News has a nice preview of Granholm's race against GOP nominee and Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus: LINK

The Lansing Journal has more on Posthumus' challenges: LINK The Detroit News is satisfied that a Dingell win will ensure that money keeps flowing to the state. LINK

The Note has learned that several Michigan gun-control groups will hold a press conference later today asking Dingell to support a ban on assault weapons.

Missouri

Voters rejected Proposition B, a sales and fuel tax hike to pay for road improvements. LINK

And, uh, yep, Rep. Dick Gephardt got renominated.

California

As California legislators continue to grapple their way toward a tough budget that may include "layoffs, program eliminations and agency overhauls." LINK

Florida

While appeals are readied, students can still use Gov. Jeb Bush's school vouchers. LINK

Florida became the fourth state to add an animal cruelty amendment its November ballot; a "Yes" vote would restrict pig confinement, especially if the oinker is pregnant. LINK

Another denouncement for the Florida ballot controversy we first told you about on Monday: a Leon County judge yesterday ordered new ballots to be printed with clearer instructions affixed. LINK

New Hampshire

Last week, Professor DiStaso did Senator Bob Smith. This week, he focuses on Rep. John Sununu. LINK

Sununu, he writes, hesitates to go negative. LINK

Iowa

"The Iowa Supreme Court blocked an order Tuesday that would have forced Planned Parenthood to give up the names by next week of about 1,000 women who took pregnancy tests at a Storm Lake clinic," the Des Moines Register reports. LINK

Cough. Cough. Last week, everyone thought Thomas Dorr's nomination as undersecretary of agriculture was dead. T'was not so — Bush recess appointed him yesterday. LINK

The New York Times makes it clear: Senator Tom Harkin (D) has cast his lot on the anti-Dorr side, and he is sticking with it. LINK

Washington, D.C.

The DC Court of Appeals is expected sometime this week to either reaffirm or overturn the city election board's decision to keep Mayor Anthony Williams off the Democratic primary ballot. LINK

Arizona

Online voter registration has debuted in Arizona. We're sure anti-fraud types will just love the description proffered by a proponent, who says that the system is easier than ordering a pizza. LINK

Georgia

Creative Loafing, the state's leading alternative newspaper, has a good package of articles on Georgia politics this week. We'd particularly recommend the summary of Rep. Cynthia McKinney's primary race against Denise Majette, as seen from this local perspective. That primary is on August 20. LINK

Texas

The Wall Street Journal 's A4 story on the Texas Senate match-up is textbook for the Eastern media: mostly about Kirk, mostly favorable about Kirk, and with a focus on how the race could/should be decided on competence and personality, rather than issues.

There's not a word to be found in here — including in the more general points about Democrats are competing in some of the other statewide races — about Kirk's liberal positions on many issues, and his flip-flops and hedging on others. Thus: another clip for the fundraising packet.

Orlando Sanchez will run again for Houston Mayor in 2003. LINK

More gubernatorial debate debate: LINK

Tennessee

"Shortly before the Republican gubernatorial primary last week, U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary attended a White House ceremony for a new corporate fraud law that contained a provision designed to eliminate accounting conflicts of interests," The Tennessean reports. LINK

"Two years ago, however, records show Hilleary asked federal regulators to delay considering a similar accounting change. Regulators had designed the rule to protect investors from the kind of accounting conflicts that contributed to scandals at Enron and Arthur Andersen."

Coloradoans

Coloradoans can't seem to figure out how to request an absentee ballot, and that's causing problems. But the state gives one to anyone who asks, so they're scrambling to make sure everyone who wants one, gets one. LINK

South Dakota

"U.S. Senator Tim Johnson said Tuesday that advertisements claiming he supports privatizing Social Security are "breathtakingly incorrect" and misleading," the Argus Leader reports. "Radio and television advertisements purchased by Thune's campaign claim Johnson supports allowing the federal government to invest a portion of the Social Security trust fund in the stock market." LINK

North Carolina

"Democratic Senate candidate Erskine Bowles raised more than $250,000 last week at a Washington fund-raiser," the Raleigh News & Observer reports. "The event was held at the home of Carolyn and Ken Brody; Ken Brody is the former chairman of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Among the co-chairs of the event were U.S. Sens. Max Baucus of Montana, Evan Bayh of Indiana, John Breaux of Louisiana and such former Clinton administration figures as Lloyd Cutler and John Podesta." LINK

Bush Administration Strategy/Personality

The Washington Post charges Allen and Blustein with writing up the president's post-physical, physical condition. At the bottom: "On the Air Force One flight to Texas, Bush was accompanied by Karen P. Hughes, who resigned last month as his counselor so her family could move back to Texas. She plans to remain an integral part of the White House operation as a Republican National Committee consultant, and she has begun choreographing White House events surrounding the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks." LINK

Outside of the headline, one detects a (uncharacteristic) utter lack of skepticism in Dr. L.K. Altman's write-up of the president's sterling health. LINK

Bush campaign veterans: check out what is about to happen just a block away from your historic headquarters and your favorite socialist Mexican joint. LINK

Joseph Curl of the Washington Times wrote a very snappy pool report off of the Air Force One flight to Waco, which we quote from here, nearly in its entirety, taking the liberty of fixing two typos.

The savvy will like the jokes; the more savvy will find the news AND like the jokes:

"President Bush dropped back to the Press Pod aboard AF1 to say he would commence bombing of Iraq unless Saddam Hussein paid the United States … one million dollars."

"Not."

"No news, little color, 100 degrees F."

"The president, with a red tie that matched the leash for Dog #2, Spot, hopped out of Marine One at precisely 12:30 p.m. He strode across the humidity-less tarmac as Dog #1 trotted about, free from any restraint. Mr. Bush, one foot on the stairs, gave Spot's leash a tug, but the headstrong pooch hunched into a defensive, on-the-haunches position, forcing the president to scoop up the little guy. He mugged for a fraction of a second to the fotogs, his face right next to Spot's, as he walked up, ducking in at 12:34 p.m."

"Scott 'Stand In' McLellan gaggled, and quite a gaggle it was, a veritably gagglicious gaggle, which you no doubt have by now. Ari was not aboard."

"Karen Hughes dropped back to chat with her pals in the press pool, and much frivolity ensued. Oh, how your pool laughed and laughed! To questions, she said her boss, the president, had inherited a flagging economy but had punched through the tax cut at JUST THE RIGHT TIME! She went on with other platitudes, which your pooler dozed through. Picture a Bush speech without the passion."

"Your pooler did perk up when Mrs. Hughes said she had turned in her hard pass when she departed the White House, and when she returned today, made it through the NW Gate without even having to show her ID."

Reader services

Boston Globe Invisible Primary scribe Glen Johnson used to cover transportation, and occasionally still gets called in for East Coast media commuting concerns like possible cutbacks in Acela service. LINK