W A S H I N G T O N, May 1
—Even as several Administration officials are showing some apparent sensitivity to the "most political White House EVER!" storyline that is coming to be the chattering class' CW of ABC 2002: The Vote (which is how we mark time, kind of our equivalent of the Chinese calendar), the signs are everywhere that the Bushies are not going to shy away from making this election a referendum on George W. Bush.
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Even if all this politicking doesn't emboss on the public's mind that this election is "about" the president, those who make such declarations (what our book learnin' leads us to call "the political class") are ready to lock in the thematic.
Of course, presidents are always on the hook in mid-term elections, since the voting is seen as the first broad-gauge barometer of the White House's political health. But the perception and fact that this White House devotes more time to politics than — egad!! — even Bill Clinton is raising the stakes considerably.
Beyond his appearance in early negative and positive ads for Senate candidates, beyond all the fundraising trips (partially at taxpayer expense, per usual), beyond all the endorsing of GOP candidates with primaries (including a written presidential endorsement in an ad for a House candidate in Indiana, who is facing off against another prominent Republican), beyond all that, apparently, the Washington Post 's bow-tied Mr. Milbank suggests, there is more to come.
Mr. Bush's allies "are talking about an even higher level of political activity by the president before November's elections. Bush's aides said political events in the coming weeks will concentrate on heartland states, which are the GOP's bedrock." ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11418-2002Apr30.html )
(Could the Washington press corps, on a dare, make it through a political cycle without using the word "heartland" in its copy?)
"Bush's strategists are said to have discussed a wider role for the president, who has already spoken at 21 fundraisers this year, possibly involving more House candidates and states such as Ohio and his own Texas."
The White House cares a whole lot about doing well in 2002, but for many (if not all) the president's Men (and Women), 2004 is never far from their brains, Milbank reminds: "If (Bill) Simon loses by fewer than five or six percentage points, they say, Bush is likely to make a bigger effort in California, and they have told Simon's aides that Bush's success in California in 2004 is tied to Simon's in 2002. Bush is the only Republican in modern times to win the presidency without California, and his reelection would be significantly easier if he could compete in California."
And could the Washington press corps, on a double dare, make it through a political cycle without using the word "privately" in its copy? The addicted Mr. Milbank uses it twice in this key sentence: "Although White House officials remain privately skeptical of Simon's chances and Simon's aides are privately suspicious of the White House, there was no hesitancy in evidence at Monday's Los Angeles fundraiser … "
And Ken Mehlman and Associates doesn't like it when self-funders don't self fund, leading, perhaps to this blind quote issued to globe-trotting Daily Newser Tom DeFrank: "'If you're not willing to spend some of your own money, you don't look serious,' a top Bush political adviser said," regarding Mr. Simon's failure, so far, to pony up big cash on his own behalf. ( http://www.nydailynews.com/2002-05- 01/News_and_Views/Beyond_the_City/a-149460.asp )
The White House made some efforts to promote yesterday's presidential speech on his domestic agenda as something more than just his run-of-the-mill stumper. Mr. Milbank does the nicest job of explaining the "why" of this: "Bush's speech to a public affairs forum here, linking the disparate elements of his legislative agenda, was described by aides as the beginning of a White House push to highlight education and welfare policy in the weeks before Bush's trip to Russia. Hoping for a lull in Middle East violence, White House officials believe they have an opportunity to draw attention to matters closer to home."
But most of the White House press corps decided that the build up overstated the delivery, and kissed off the president's speech as recycled rhetoric with no new proposals. (Political reporters are always demanding "new proposals," and most consider any speech that lacks them to be, prima facie , newsless.)
One pair of supple minds, however, deemed the Bush speech a major event, finding it "ambitious."
Brownstein and Gerstenzang, writing in the Los Angeles Times , say "Bush used the speech to define a vision of government that he said linked the disparate elements of his domestic agenda on issues ranging from education to welfare and health care. Bush framed his agenda as an alternative to over reliance on government or the free market to solve social problems." ( http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-000030978may01.story ?coll=la%2Dnews%2Da%5Fsection )
"Bush reiterated traditional conservative themes of limited government: 'America doesn't need more big government, and we've learned that more money is not always the answer.'"
"But he also emphasized his support for activist government in some areas and his belief that society cannot rely on the market to solve problems as much as many conservatives believe."
"Bush offered two broad principles for federal action. He argued that Washington could play a critical role in setting standards and demanding results, even while giving authority for operating social programs to local officials, neighborhood charities and individuals."
Bush's speech was part of his macro effort to redefine small government conservatism in an era in which the government is actively engaged in a popular struggle against a common enemy.
His education bill, which traded local control of federal money for federal oversight of how well that money is used, was pilloried by conservatives who, just years ago, favored abolishing the Department of Education. But the trade-off approach has become a signature of the Bush approach to governance.
With the team of Sanger and Bumiller taking the day off (at least in terms of daily coverage), a woman who apparently does not know the president's heart, the way, say, Dan Bartlett does, gets to write up the speech, and she makes this tart observation in what is otherwise simply a gussied-up wire story (no offense, Sandra), masquerading as a New York Times story: "But he was clearly paying the most attention to home-front issues, heeding polls in which the majority of respondents said they wanted him to focus more on domestic problems this year." ( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/01/politics/01BUSH.html )
While the White House deals with politics out in the land, two Washington storylines threaten the policy and politics of Bush Harmony. The fight over the budget and the granting of enhanced trade power for the president are going to require a lot of political capital, some of which comes out of the same reservoirs that will be tapped for electioneering.
Green-eye-shader David Rogers in the Wall Street Journal has his usual reportorial detail and perfect pitch on the latest budget scrape: "A long-simmering fight over Congress's role in the war against terrorism is coming to a head as lawmakers take up President Bush's request for $27.1 billion in new emergency spending to help carry U.S. operations through September."
"Mr. Bush is to meet Wednesday with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Young (R., Fla.), whose defiant panel was near agreement Tuesday night on a bipartisan plan to add several billion dollars more for defense and homeland security … ."
Bush Budget Director Mitch Daniels " … concerned about the worsening deficit projections for this year, is insisting lawmakers offset any spending above $27.1 billion with spending cuts elsewhere in the budget. Relations between the politically ambitious budget director and the GOP-controlled House Appropriations panel have steadily deteriorated to a point where the level of personal animosity — aggravated by conservative commentators allied with the director — is extraordinary."
And Rogers doesn't use "extraordinary" except in extraordinary situations.
Keep watching the trade promotion authority battle in Congress, because this matters to a lot of the president's political allies, and to his free trade bona fides, but there remain some real land mines out there, and, as Bill Clinton learned, passing trade bills in the Post-Perot era is tough. It requires an exertion presidential muscle.
The New York Times focuses on Senate Democratic efforts to get health benefits to workers who lose their jobs due to the vagaries of international trade, and how that could hold up the whole thing.
One lesson this White House has learned faster than the previous one: stay out of legislative fights as long as a distracted press corps and public will let you: "But the White House has so far chosen not to make a major issue of the worker-assistance package, signaling either that it is willing to accept it as the price of passing the legislation or that it will wait until a House-Senate conference to try to scale it back." ( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/01/politics/01TRAD.html )
The Washington Post ed board slaps the president on steel, but urges the Senate to move on TPA. ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11905-2002Apr30.html )
The congressional leadership came straight out of its breakfast to be debriefed by the cable nets, and in a bit of Freaky Friday, switcheroo casting, Trent Lott did CNN, and Dick Gephardt did Fox News Channel. And then they did a swap of media venues. Daschle and Lott talked in the driveway to the assembled press corps, with some boilerplate on the Middle East and trade promotion authority.
One meeting source says that an effort will be made this week to find some language acceptable to the White House for congressional resolutions on the Middle East, with a search for language that is more pro-Israel and less Arafat, and something that is acceptable to the twinned worldviews of Tom DeLay and Joe Lieberman.
There was also lots of talk about how to deal with the debt ceiling and the budget issues, but no resolution to the resolution and other budget issues was resolved.
The Hu visit is Huge, but we are deferring to experts on that one for now, until the politics of the visit become a bit clearer to us.
From the ABCNEWS London Bureau: U.S and British security experts are meeting with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to finalize a U.S.-brokered deal on a prisoner transfer that would end Israel's month-long siege around his headquarters in the West Bank. There is still no word on when the six Palestinian prisoners would be transferred to a Jericho prison.
--In Bethlehem, a standoff at the Church of the Nativity remains unresolved. Israeli army says they took two Palestinians into custody after they left the church. One of them was wounded by Israeli sniper.
-- In Gaza, four Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire, including a 2-year-old girl.
The Middle East
Pat Tyler, he of the rising New York Times star and the Saudi scud blind quotes, gets a two-column lead in the paper today, blaring out over his must-read story "NEW STRATEGY SET BY U.S. AND SAUDIS FOR MIDEAST CRISIS." ( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/01/international/middleeast/01DIPL.html )
" … American officials plan to talk bluntly with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel during his visit to Washington next week about breaking the psychology of violence."
"Arab leaders are expected to do the same at a meeting with Yasir Arafat, perhaps in Cairo, American and Saudi officials said … ."
"Prince Abdullah, now in Casablanca, Morocco, is ready to travel to Arab capitals to organize a meeting with Mr. Arafat that would coincide with Mr. Sharon's visit in Washington. Officials close to the prince say his gloomy assessment of President Bush's leadership going into the meeting last week was transformed by five hours of talks with Mr. Bush."
"In those talks, the officials said, Mr. Bush said he would demonstrate that he was ready to lead an international peace effort if the Arabs came along."
The New York Post follows Monday's provocative Note open letter about the Saudi's American PR strategy with a very nice look (avec sidebar) at which firms the Kingdom has hired to plot and plan. You'll see lots of usual suspects, with top-level ties to both parties, but with an "R" slant. A must-read. ( http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/46866.htm )
and ( http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/46938.htm )
If the conservatives who shake their heads in rage at how, well, mean, Maureen Dowd can be to the Bush family knew how much the Bush family likes her, they would shake their heads even more. Today, The Fabulous Ms. Dowd writes about what appears to be her favorite Bush-Cheney-Baker topic — the Bush Dynasty and "oil money, politics, defense contracts and bidness." ( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/01/opinion/01DOWD.html )
For the Michael Beschloss in you, Dowd seems to have some details about what 43 and 41 talked about with Abdullah that we haven't seen anywhere else. Nothing gigantic, but there does seem to be some original, super-inside reportage here.
ABC 2004: The Invisible Primary
John Kerry's likely presidential bid will not live or die based on the coverage he gets on D1 of the Boston Globe . But some days, it sure feels like it could. No other would-be presidential candidate has a homestate press corps that will be as inclined to go through the cycle of "build-him-up-tear-him-down" as does Kerry.
Between the Globe and the Herald , expect a lot of ink to be spilled on this guy's life and times, and his Forrest Gump-like existence.
Today's story is quite long, but it is a must-read in the context of the invisible primary.
First of all, we hear from three generations of women in John Kerry's life, from his mom, to his daughter doing an interview wearing his shirt, to his wife seeming to answer what is one of the biggest practical questions of the nomination fight (will she kick her millions into the race?), and there is a lot of good stuff here.
On the latter point, here is what Teresa Heinz is quoted as saying, "During the 1996 race, she says, people "felt, 'Oh, she can help him. Well, (expletive),"' declared Heinz, sitting on a chintz sofa in the couple's Beacon Hill home. "It's not a choice if you believe in democratic principles … I can think of better things to do with the money than give it to television stations."'
Second, the piece gets to the heart of one of the current Kerry macro efforts: "In this era, if you are running for president people want to know who you are. Nobody can become president who can't pass what I call the hang-out test. Can you go to a bar and hang out with people?"
"Clinton could. George Bush is still ordering rounds. But John Kerry is not the kind of guy most would cozy up to at a bar. Odds are good that he is not even at the bar. But as he gears up for a run for president in 2004 — and like virtually all those expected to run, he insists that he hasn't made up his mind yet — he would like you to know that, if you did run into him at a bar, he could talk about a lot of things other than fuel-efficiency standards and the fate of the Yalta agreement. That he is no longer the John Kerry lampooned in a "Doonesbury" cartoon for his preening ambition while still in his 20s. That if you knew him, you might actually like him."
There's also a lot about his guitar playing, some tip-of-the-iceberg childhood anecdotes, and some dripping strawberry frozen yogurt.
And this piquant, discordant Michael Barone quote: "'This is a man whose world is Louisburg Square, Nantucket and Georgetown. His demeanor comes across as a person who has a certain amount of contempt for those who do not share his views. They must simply be ignorant or foolish. If he runs for president, I think this is something he has to work on."
(Note to staff: invite Barone to Idaho, maybe.)
(Note to Globe webmaster: there are a lot of coding errors in the web version, and even one Clymerian editor's question accidentally left in.)
Senator John Edwards has agreed to a Democratic House campaign committee request that he appear at a fundraiser for House candidate Carl Marlinga when Edwards heads to Michigan this weekend to speak at the state Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson Dinner.
Mickey Kaus deconstructs Nick Lemann's profile of Edwards (how's that for meta-meta-meta?) and does so by way of questioning Edwards's core political philosophy.
Writing negative pieces on Edwards will one day be en vogue in American political journalism, but Kaus gets here (or is it "there"?) early.
Among Kaus' points worth chewing over:
1) Bob Shrumian-John Edwardsian populism is like Al Gore's "us versus them" trope, where "us" is almost everyone, versus a dark, undefined "them."
2) Edwards has yet to take a major stand on any issue that requires some degree of political dexterity; if he's a populist, he has yet to clearly define was his populism really means.
3) Most Americans are relatively content and not ready to be driven toward pessimism.
4) Kaus, a neoliberal, contends that the very "special interests" Edwards appears to blast are key instruments of the Democratic party.
"Maybe, if a politician said that "powerful forces" in both parties stood in our way, a populist appeal might make more sense. But would Edwards ever stand up against one of the big Democratic interest groups — like the National Education Association, for example, or the AARP — the way he says he would stand up to the drug companies and HMOs? Clinton's calling card, remember, was that he had stood up to the NEA in Arkansas on the issue of teacher testing. It's also possible to see John McCain doing this, which is why McCain remains appealing. There's no evidence I know of that Edwards has done it, or will do it." ( www.kausfiles.com )
The Charlotte Observer reports that Edwards' PAC has bought, for $65,000, The Iowa Democratic Party voter list. The less-expensive New Hampshire list is next. (http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/3171209.htm )
Edwards and Co. on the record say with a straight face they have bought the list "to support local candidates in Iowa," and they get back up from Amanda Ragan, who attributes her recent state senate special election win to one John Edwards.
The Charlotte Observer looks at Edwards' fundraising and the legal community. ( http://www.newsobserver.com/news/nc/story/1341576p-1378903c.html )
Neal Travis mocks Al Gore's "bargain basement" $250-a-head Los Angeles fundraisers, noting that one of his hosts, former Disney head John Cooke, had a similar event for Andrew Cuomo valued at $1,000 to $5,000 ( http://www.nypost.com/gossip/travis.htm )
Vice President Gore will be in California today, fundraising for his PAC. Tomorrow, he'll show Gov. Gray Davis a thing or two about how to raise money.
Leon Fuerth might not be a concert pianist, or aspire to run the NFL, or ever be pictured in a leading fashion mag, but he IS Al Gore's Condi Rice, and he makes the strange if interesting decision to use one of his op-ed slots to criticize the administration for not thinking big enough on Russia. ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11913-2002Apr30.html ) )
On Monday, May 6, Vermont Gov. Howard Dean will headline a fundraising event for state House and Senate Democrats at a private home in Iowa City.
Politics
The White House press corps might just have a bone to pick with Contra Costa Times Political Editor Daniel Borenstein for writing this about them:
"Bush's Tuesday morning 'compassionate conservative' speech was open to all media, but the fund-raiser that had nearly the same size crowd was limited to the usual large entourage from the national press corps, most of whom have little interest in California politics, and a small pool of state media." (http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/news/politics/3172560.htm )
"Rules are rules, was the word from the White House. Whether it's Montana or California, the state media are pooled when Bush appears at fund-raisers. In an ironic twist, the Simon camp, wanting more publicity from the Bush visit, resorted to sneaking in reporters to its own fund-raiser by giving them guest tickets."
Just as South Dakota's Senate race is seen as a talisman for the conflict between majority leader Daschle and President Bush, Texas may soon become the tableau upon which the Democrats and Republicans tussle over core issues, like whether the Democrats take minority candidates and voters for granted, whether Texas is Bush Country, whether Republicans will have enduring difficulties in smoothing over conservative strains with Hispanic communities.
At a joint Gannett News Service/ USA Today breakfast yesterday, DNC chair Terry McAuliffe and RNC chair Marc Racicot traded barbs. Their exchange is worth quoting in full: ( http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020501/4073559s.htm )
"Racicot said he was unsure what effect two minority candidates at the top of the Democratic ticket would have in Texas, which 'has made great progress in terms of engaging one another, regardless of race, of ethnic background, in the political affairs of that state … ..I think the diversity, however, of candidates is wonderful, and it is a triumphant commentary upon the political capacity of this nation to engage all of its citizens in the political process of this nation,' Racicot said."
"McAuliffe jumped in to say Democrats are fielding the prominent minority candidates in Texas and elsewhere: 'It is the Democratic Party that is the mosaic tile of America, and it is running candidates from a broad spectrum of backgrounds."'
"'An illusion,' Racicot said. 'What (minority) candidates do you have running?' the Democrat responded."
"When McAuliffe again pressed Racicot to name prominent Republican minority candidates for statewide office anywhere, the Republican chairman said: 'We shouldn't be opportunistic about race. . . . The notion that only the Democratic Party puts out the welcome mat and wants to engage all of their fellow citizens in this country is an illusion. It is simply not true.'"
Some of the stuff that runs in this Note is meant, well, for political and political media insiders. If you don't belong to either of those categories, just recognize that the best you can do is to aspire to "get" it all, or else Google your way to the answers.
Here's one such classic item: now that former Headline News anchor Bobbie Battista is running the media effort for GOP Senate candidate Bob Irvin in Georgia, it is Battista vs. Ms. Lisa Gimbel, and that is, in our world, basically too good to be true on too many levels to list here.
The USA Today has a good story on the stratagem that Democrats and Republicans have in common: seniors. Republicans will push passage of a patient's bill of rights and try to expand Medicare; Democrats will make "privatizeSocialSecurity" a buzzword and try to convince seniors that their future is at risk if Republicans win. ( http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020501/4073560s.htm )
We've always wondered whether the real "at risk" target for Democrats' Social Security complaints is professional men and women who are, perhaps 10 to 20 years from retirement, especially since Republicans claim no change to the system would impact benefits currently being paid by the government
David Broder takes his inky hat off to Myron Orfield, whose new Brookings book does smarty-pants analysis of the suburban vote. ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11912-2002Apr30.html ) )
Democrat Representative Nancy Pelosi used the "words" "tangibilitized" and "reptilian" at the "Sperling" Breakfast yesterday. The Note makes up words all the time, so we aren't as disapprovating as Al Kamen appears to be. ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11958-2002Apr30.html ) )
Florida
As expected, Bill McBride's former law firm, Holland and Knight, is slashing jobs. The story was written by the Orlando Sentinel's political writer, which portends a possible general election issue for McBride. (His friend Janet Reno probably won't mention it). Silva writes that "[s]ome within the firm have complained that McBride, campaigning on his prowess as a businessman, overextended the firm financially with his global reach. Holland and Knight, which started modestly in the phosphate-mining country of Central Florida, has lawyers in South America, Japan and Israel. " ( http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/nationworld/orl-biz-silva050102.story )
The Florida papers give straight treatment to Gov. Jeb Bush's tears yesterday. The Tallahassee Democrat gives the best account and has the best context, although it also contains this unfortunately worded sentence: "The son of the former president and his wife have been active in drug treatment programs in Miami, before he was elected in 1998, and statewide since moving into the Governor's Mansion." ( http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/3170727.htm )
Montana
"Dogged by ethics and staff controversies, mocked by editorialists as dim and unprepared for her high office, criticized for blunt talk that has antagonized women and environmentalists, ____ has had a notably rocky start." Jane Swift? No--Judy Martz, the Governor of Montana, whose woes get USA Today treatment today. ( http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020501/4073577s.htm )
The two Republicans seeking to challenge Senator Max Baucus debated yesterday, and Baucus, comfortable with his polling numbers, has dared to disagree with President Bush on an issue--the proposed elimination of fixed-rate federal student loan consolidation program. ( http://www.helenair.com/montana/9A4.html )
New Hampshire
Will we look hopelessly naive if we ask how much of the investigative material showing up in the New Hampshire papers about Governor (and Senate candidate) Jeanne Shaheen and Providian is coming with the aiding and abetting of Republican opposition researchers who want to make sure that Smith versus Sununu doesn't get all the attention?
Today, John DiStaso reports that the company allegedly threatened to move part of its business out of the state if lawmakers didn't act on a Providian-friendly amendment to state senate legislation. ( http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_show.html?article=10797 )
On the other hand, Gov.Shaheen's opponents have yet to find a way to explain the story simply. Until they do, we can't really predict what effect, if any, it will have on her.
Check our daybook for a slew of newly-added New Hampshire political events.
North Carolina
It's not Bill Clinton, but close enough. Madeleine Albright will campaign for Senate candidate Erskine Bowles (D) on May 16 in Greensboro. ( http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/1341538p-1378912c.html )
The date of the primary remains in limbo. The North Carolina State Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the current legislative redistricting map was unconstitutional. The state Attorney General's office may appeal the decision. ( http://www.newsobserver.com/front/story/1341537p-1378890c.html )
Bush Administration Strategy/Personality
The Wall Street Journal (B11D, which is a great page number) runs a story about how the sales of heart devices have surged since the publicity over Dick Cheney's procedure.
We don't have a clue where this is headed, but, per the Washington Post : "The Natural Resources Defense Council has issued a subpoena to Andrew Lundquist, former executive director of Vice President Cheney's energy task force, to learn who consulted with him in formulating the Bush administration's energy plan. Lundquist, an Energy Department employee who was detailed to the task force, left the White House March 28 to become a private consultant." ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11957-2002Apr30.html )
On the very day that we begged non-Democrats to send us key matrimonial news, and on the very day that we were chatting with Energy Department communications czar Jill Schroeder (who has historic ties to Steve Forbes, Ralph Reed, and the NRCC), Lloyd Grove was breaking the story of her brand-new engagement. We are chastened and scooped.
Laura Bush was interviewed by our own Claire Ship.m.an on Good Morning, America, and the former blew the cover on Mark McKinnon's favorite Congress Street breakfast spot. ( http://www.smartpages.com/cityguides/tx/austin/cheap_eats2.jhtml )
and ( http://www.smartpages.com/directory/searchresult.jhtml ;$sessionid$KUZ3J4QCNS4PFQFI4GCSFEQ?EstabId=1842357 )
Legislative Agenda
Will Orrin Hatch's turnabout on human cloning make it politically acceptable for other conservatives to oppose the president on this issue? Hatch has certainly mastered the talking points: ""Regenerative medicine is pro-life and pro-family." ( http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020501/4073519s.htm )
"In essence," writes the Los Angeles Times , "Hatch said, an embryo in the womb is a human being, deserving of protection. But an embryo created through cloning is not, he said, and may be destroyed to help find cures for disease." ( http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-050102clone.story )
The Las Vegas Review-Journal blasts President Clinton for suddenly opposing a Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. "Now He Tells Us," is the headline. ( http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2002/May-01-Wed-2002/opinion/18642931.html )
-- 9:30 am, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill testifies on exchange rates before Senate Banking Committee
-- 10:00 am, House meets to consider Ex-Im Bank reauthorization and other matters
-- 10:00 am, Senate meets to consider omnibus trade legislation
-- 10:00 am, House Government Reform subcommittee hearing on the US presence abroad, with Stae, Treasury, Justice, and Defense Department reps, plus the GAO
-- 10:15 am, President Bush meets with the Senior Minister of Singapore, Oval Office
-- 10:15 am, Senate Majority Leader Daschle and House Minority Leader Gephardt hold joint news conference
-- 10:15 am, Vice President Cheney meets with Chinese Vice President Hu, followed by lunch
-- 12:30 pm, State Department briefing
-- 1:00 pm, Homeland Security director Tom Ridge speaks at Brookings Institute conference, NW, DC
-- 1:45 pm, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld hosts honor cordon for Chinese Vice President Hu
-- 2:05 pm, President Bush takes part in Medal of Honor ceremony, Rose Garden
-- 3:35 pm, President Bush meets with Chinese Vice President Hu, Oval Office
-- 6:00 pm, Tom Ridge keynotes third annual John Chaffee Dinner for the Republican Main Street Partnership, Willard Hotel, NW, DC
-- 7:30 pm, candlelight vigil with Chandra Levy's parents and friends, outside 1260 21st Street, NW, DC
-- May 2: President Bush hosts U.S.-E.U. Summit, DC
-- May 2: Al Gore raises money for California Gov. Gray Davis
-- 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
and headlines fundraiser for House candidate Carl Marlinga -- 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 6-7: House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt travels to New Hampshire
-- May 7: President Bush meets with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba of Nepal, DC
-- May 7: New Hampshire State Senator Mark Fernald announces gubernatorial run
-- Mau 8: Former president George H.W. Bush speaks at business conference, Tianjin, China
-- May 8: Gov. Jeanne Shaheen opens campaign headquarters, Manchester, NH
-- 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 10: Rep. Barney Frank headlines
-- May 10-11: Democratic party state chairs meeting, Asheville, NC
-- May 11: New Hampshire Democratic gubernatorial candidates forum, St. Paul's School, Concord, NH
-- May 11: New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen delivers commencement address, University of Mississippi.
-- May 11: New Hampshire Democratic State Party chairs meeting, Concord,
-- 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 15: Financial disclosure forms due for White House, House and Senate staffers.
-- May 15: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Taste of the States" fundraiser, DC
-- 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 17: President Bush meets with Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek of Slovenia
-- May 18: Sen. Patty Murray (D) keynotes Arkansas Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Little Rock
-- May 19: Al and Tipper Gore's 32nd wedding anniversary -- May 19: Sen. Joseph Lieberman holds PAC fundraiser, Milwaukee
-- May 20: Florida Democrats Jefferson-Jackson dinner, speaker TBD
-- May 20: Sen. Joseph Lieberman speaks to Detroit Economic Club
-- 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: President Bush attends NATO Summit, Italy
-- May 28-29: New York GOP Convention (Gov. George Pataki's formal renomination)
-- May 31: Tipper Gore fundraises for New Hampshire Democratic Party, Concord
-- June 1: New Hampshire Democratic Party State Convention, St. Anslem's college.
-- 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 7-8: Wisconsin State Democratic Party convention
-- June 8: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean gives commencement speech at Dartmouth medical school, NH
-- June 8: Sen. Patty Murray keynotes Tennessee Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Nashville
-- 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, IA
-- June 15-16: Iowa Democratic Party state convention
-- June 13-15: Texas Democratic party convention, El Paso
-- June 21: N.C. Sen. John Edwards celebrates Flag Day in New Hampshire
-- June 22: N.C. Sen. John Edwards attends Merrimack County Annual Pig Roast
-- 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. 8-11: Democratic National Committee meets, Las Vegas
-- 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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