The Governor's Token Ride

Governor and Presidential possiblity Mitt Romney (R-MA) sought to ease Bostonian's nerves about mass transit by taking a ride on the subway. But he didn't know how much a ride costs. He was a quarter short with his guess of "a buck." In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he boarded the "T" -- just a lot of press events at subway stations.

Past Massachusetts presidential nominee Michael Dukakis lives in Boston. He tells the Boston Globe:

''All I know is that I'm riding the T for 35 cents, the best value in America."

--Michael Dukakis quoted in the Boston Globe

Mr Dukakis is 71 and qualifies for the reduced senior citizens discount. Hey, it beats that tank he rode around in back in 1988.

Outting a Congressional Aide

Congressional aid Jason Wayne Roller lost his job and won a visit fromt the Secret Service over a stunt where he impersonated his ex-girlfriend online.

The 29-year-old Roller went to a website claiming to be his ex -- and claimed to be a bisexual girl who "drank the night away."

His ex found out and now he's an ex-aide to Rep Henry Cuellar (D-TX).

The Congressman canned Mr Roller while the Secret Service investigates to see if any crime was committed.

Mr Roller should seek a job with more security next time -- like Karl Rove has. (WOAI-TV)

The Plame Blame Game Adds Names

The criminal investigation into the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity is casting a wide net. Remember Karen Hughes? President Bush's one-time communications aide. She quit the White House back in April, 2002. That's her in the picture at the left with President Bush.

She's been called and has testified before the grand jury investigating the leak.

She told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about her appearances. She's appearing before them on her nomination to lead the State Department's public diplomacy effort.

Former White House spokesman Ari Fliesher (right) has also been called to testify because he got a telephone call from columnist Robert Novak the day after the outing. It was Novak, citing "senior administration officials" who first mentioned in print Valerie Plame's role in the CIA. Mr Fliescher says he never took the call that shows up on his telephone log. (IHT)

Click on the Karl Rove icon to see all Watching Washington posts on the Plame Name Blame Game Scandal

Did a Full Court Press Lead to Leaks

At the time Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA agent was leaked to the media in July, 2003, both Karl Rove and Scooter Libby were working on a related matter.

Presidential advisor Rove and VP Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff Libby are both identified as sources of Ms Plame's identification.

They were busy at work defending a 16 word statement in the President's State of the Union Address from earlier in the year relating to Iraq's efforts to get yellowcake uranium from Niger. Ms Plame's husband Joe Wilson had conducted a fact finding mission to Niger and said the claim wasn't true. He says the administration publicized his wife's role at the CIA in retaliation.

Mr Rove and Mr Libby were working on a statement to be issued by then-CIA Director George Tenent -- an explanation of how the "16 words" got into the President's speech.

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is looking into that time frame and into the statement itself.

What's unusual is that the people working on the statement were from both the White House's "political" and "national security" operations. It's rare that those are combined.

It appears there was a full court press to defend the President. That climate is certainly on Prosecutor Fitzgerald's mind as he tries to determine just how far those operations might go to defend the President. (IHT)

Click on the Karl Rove icon to see all Watching Washington posts on the Plame Name Blame Game Scandal

Return of the Enron Lobbyists

Enron may have declared bankruptcy and emptied retirement plans right and left. But they still have enough money to send lobbyists back to Capitol Hill. Enron's looking for $500 million in fees from taxpayers and ratepayers. They're trying to force people in Washington state, California, and Nevada to pay for termination fees. The utilities fired Enron for their corrupted accounting, but Enron says that's no excuse -- they want their money. (CNN)

The Compassionate Telemarketers

Ever get a telemarketing call or e-mail meant for a recently deceased relative? It can be traumatic.

Telemarketers understand and want to help. Their Direct Marketing Association is setting up a "Do-Not-Call" list for dead people. They're providing a service to mourning widows and orphans. They'll gladly take your departed loved one's name off their phone and e-mail lists.

But you have to pay them. It'll cost you a buck.

By the way, if you want to call the Direct Marketing Association and tell them to "drop dead," their number is 212.768.7277. (WSTP-TV)

So What "Is" the Definition of "Is?"

The story White House advisor Karl Rove and VP Dick Cheney Chief of Staff Scotter Libby tell -- doesn't jibe with other accounts of CIA agent Valerie Plame's outing.

And those are stories told to Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald -- heading up the criminal investigation. He's been calling reporters and White House brass into a grand jury to testify under oath.

People familiar to the case have told Bloomberg News Service that all the reporters tell pretty much the same story. But Mr Rove and Mr Libby tell a different tale. Mr Rove's public account also differs with a TIME magazine account by Matt Cooper. Mr Cooper lists Mr Rove as a source of Valerie Plame's CIA connection. Mr Cooper testified before the grand jury.

Those discrepancies could lead to perjury charges if the differences are enough to look like someone's lying. (Bloomberg)

Click on the Karl Rove icon to see all Watching Washington posts on the Plame Name Blame Game Scandal

Selling Roberts

It may have looked like Judge John Roberts was a last minute choice for the Supreme Court -- what with all the speculation and incorrect leaks the White House put out. But before President Bush set out to sell Judge Roberts to the Senate -- the White House spent a year selling him to social conservatives.

And they had a selling job ahead of them -- as reported in the New York Times:

In hearings for confirmation to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, he had called the original abortion rights precedent "the settled law of the land" and said "there is nothing in my personal views that would prevent me from fully and faithfully applying that precedent."

Polling, focus groups, all the marketing tools available were brought in to make the sale. In the end, the White House relied on Judge Roberts' Catholic faith, his wife's public opposition to abortion, and testimonials from prominent Evangelical figures to sell him to conservatives.

Now the President only has to sell him to the rest of America. (NYT) [Photo Credit: The White House]

Click Supreme Court Image for Judge John G. Roberts Confirmation Information & Links

What to Wear to the White House

The Washington Post's Robin Givhan worries that the Roberts family is outdated in their look earlier this week at the White House.

She's made a name of late critiquing political fashion for the Post, commenting on Vice President Dick Cheney's frumpy down coat at a Holocaust memorial and Secretary of State Condi Rice's "Darth Vader look" on a visit to Germany.

Now she takes on Judge John Roberts' wife and kids. She points to the pastels and styles as looking like they're from another century -- right down to little Jack's "John-John Kennedy" suit-shorts.

In all honesty, the seer-sucker & saddle shoe shot is going to be one of those pictures in the Roberts family album Mom brings out to embarassing him in front of his prom date some day.

But fashion critic Givhan isn't quite ready for the next century either. She blasts the Northwestern University lacrosse team for wearing flip flops (at Right) to the White House last week. Now if John Kerry had won the election -- maybe they'd be acceptable footwear.(WashPost)

Click Supreme Court Image for Judge John G. Roberts Confirmation Information & Links

Judge Roberts -- A Big Impact Possible in his First Week on the Job

Judge John Roberts could make a big difference on hot-button issues within months of a confirmation to the court. The Supreme Court has an agenda that includes cases on abortion, assisted suicide, terrorism, and the death penalty all on the calendar for next year.

Those are all issues that have been decided by a split court -- often with retiring Judge Sandra Day O'Connor being the swing vote.

If confiremed, Justice Roberts would hear a "right to die" case his very first week on the high court. (LAT)

Click Supreme Court Image for Judge John G. Roberts Confirmation Information & Links

Tight Security at Home Amid a New Wave of London Bombings

The Pentagon and subway systems in New York and Washington, DC have stepped up security in light of a new wave of terrorist bombings in London.

The Defense Department sent out an internal alert to Pentagon workers noting increased police patrols around that 9/11 terror target.

Subway riders in New York are subject to random searches of their bags. And DC Metro riders have seen added transit police in DC since the first London attacks.

Federal studies have found holes in Metro's security in DC. The transit people say they need $100 million to patch the holes -- but neither local nor federal authorities have provided the money. (CNN & WTOP)

Your Anti-Terrorism Dollars at Work -- Defending Mermaids

You've spent $23 million over the last three years to protect Tampa Bay from terrorists.

Around $50,000 of that is earmarked for security cameras at the Weeki Wachee mermaid tourist attraction.

Florida's Department of Law Enforcement won't confirm that. They say there are lots of potential targets in Tampa Bay. But they won't name any of them. They say it's for security reasons.

Rightly so. If there are more "targets" like mermaids on the list, taxpayers might want to kick someone's butt in Tampa. (WSTP-TV)[Photo Credit: Walt Stearns, Weeki Wachee Springs]

Sooooooie! Terrorism and Pork Barrel Spending -- A Double Threat to US Taxpayers

The Senate had two plans for spending Homeland Security Money: one would send most of the money to the area of greatest risk -- the other would spread it out so everyone got some pork.

Guess which plan your Hired Hands on the Hill went with.

Debra Saunders writes an op-ed column detailing some of the pork barrel properties of Homeland Security spending -- a system that spends $10 a person protecting Wyoming from terrorists while New York gets only $1.33 a person:

• Tipton, Tennessee used Homeland Security money to buy defibrillators for a high school gym
• Newark, New Jersey bought air-conditioned garbage trucks
• Columbus, Ohio bought bullet-proof vests -- for police dogs

The Senate vote came in between series of attacks across the pond as London deals with suicide bombers on their subway.

At least the Tiptonville, Tennessee subway is safe. (Townhall.com)

Leaving the House -- With no $700,000 Windfall This Time

The California Congressman in trouble for questionable money ties to a defense contractor is calling it quits. Rep Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA) says he won't run for re-election.

Rep Cunningham sold his house for $700,000 more than it was worth to a contractor who suddenly got a ton of defense contracts via Rep Cunningham's committee. The good Congressman -- now homeless -- then took up rent-free residence on the contractor's yacht. (CNN)

"That's Where the Money Is"

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) is in ethics trouble over taking money from lobbyists. So what's he planning to do?

Kill off limits on campaign contributions.

Rep DeLay is up to his ears in scandal. He wants to eliminate campaign finance rules put in place after the Watergate scandal. His plan would erase the $101,400 cap on what an individual can give to political campaigns every two years. It'd also let PACs (Political Action Committees) give more money to candidates. (Bloomberg)

Betting Atlantic City's Safe from Terrorists

An op-ed piece in the Asbury Park Press claims that 93% of homeland security grants in New Jersey have gone to Democratic controlled state legislative districts.

Democrats control the statehouse and get to call the shots as to where state anti-terrorism money goes. About $21.3 million over three years to Democrat's districts vs. $1.6 million to GOP districts.

Tourist heavy Atlantic City -- in GOP hands -- got zilch. (Asbury Park Press)

When a Tax Cut can be a Tax Hike

The President's tax advisory panel suggests getting rid of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). But you could wind up paying more taxes as a result.

The AMT was set up to guarantee that everyone paid some taxes -- even if they had a lot of deductions. But as incomes have risen, more Americans may be drawn into the AMT.

So the panel wants to kill it off. At the same time, analysts worry the plan will involve a trade -- to kill off the AMT, you'd have to lose your state and local income tax deductions.

Nothing's free. (Bloomberg)