Today we learned that politicians sometimes...brace yourselves...say one thing while doing another. After rolling out the GOP's supposedly sweeping "Pledge to America," John Boehner was conspicuously mum about entitlement programs. Chellie Pingree, scourge of Wall Street, has a taste for decked-out Learjets. And Eliot Spitzer called Andrew Cuomo the "dirtiest, nastiest political player out there," and...well...we'll just leave that one at that. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Thursday, September 23rd, 2010:
SENATE BOOTS TAX CUTS PAST MIDTERMS - The Senate won't be voting on extending tax cuts for rich folks, poor folks or anybody else before Election Day, but Democrats wouldn't say so on their way out of a caucus meeting Thursday afternoon. Do they think if they stay mum everyone'll just forget the whole thing ever happened? Even Dick Durbin, who most news outlets used to confirm the decision, wouldn't go all the way. Asked if a decision was reached, he said: "No. Harry will make the final decision on this, but the reality is we are not going to pass what needs to be passed to change this either in the Senate or in the House before the election. That's the reality. I'm just telling you. Unless you all see this differently than I do." We don't.
Hoyer Whacks Senate - Steny Hoyer declared himself unsurprised when told the Senate wouldn't be acting on tax cuts. "Has the Senate been doing things? I missed it," he said. Instead of a follow up, HuffPost Hill got a solid stiff arm from Hoyer's new flack, former star Politico reporter Dan Reilly, who suggested we instead attend Hoyer's press conference to question him in a civilized manner. A press conference? What does he take us for?
Voinovich's Honesty - HuffPost's Lucia Graves asked the retiring Ohio Republican George Voinovich about the tax debate this afternoon. "Oh, I don't think it's going to get done before the election," he said. "Do you want them to?" she asked. "I don't care."
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM DEBATE STALLS - Olympia Snowe, still, apparently, a Republican, cast the deciding vote to block the DISCLOSE Act from moving forward. Snowe faces re-election in 2012 in a state with a GOP base that is hopping, hornet's nest mad. How she thinks she'll persuade them she's a right winger is beyond HuffPost Hill, but if today counts for anything, she's a step closer. CQ: "The Senate on Thursday once again blocked consideration of a controversial campaign finance measure that would require greater disclosure of corporate campaign spending. A cloture motion to begin debate on the DISCLOSE Act fell short on a 59-39 vote. The outcome likely puts the legislation on the back burner until after the midterm elections, but it is unclear whether Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will try to take the issue up again during a lame-duck session. The DISCLOSE Act has already passed the House." http://bit.ly/9vE5fV
HOUSES PASSES SMALL BIZ BILL - "The House of Representatives approved a $30 billion small business lending measure on Thursday, handing President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats a boost weeks before the November elections.
The bill, which also includes $12 billion in tax breaks for small businesses, was approved by the Senate last week and it now goes to Obama, who plans to sign it." Reuters: http://bit.ly/arSUJj
LANDRIEU TO HOLD UP OMB NOMINATION UNLESS OFFSHORE DRILLING STAY IS LIFTED -The Louisiana senator this afternoon announced that "she will block the nomination of Jack Lew to be the Obama Administration's Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) until the moratorium on deepwater oil and gas drilling is lifted or significantly modified." Senatus: http://bit.ly/98oOtV
Child Nutrition Battle - The House and Senate are in a standoff over child nutrition, with the Senate making the House a take-it-or-leave-it offer that improves school lunch nutrition by slashing food stamps. (HuffPost Hill just threw up in its mouth, and not from the taco salad.) More than a hundred members have signed a letter saying they'd rather leave that one, though advocates are worried the president is siding with the Senate. "Our country's children deserve better and they need the president to step in now," Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D., president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, tells HuffPost Hill. "The president's leadership is urgently needed here for a strong and comprehensive reauthorization. Without President Obama stepping in to support the House political process, it is clear that schools will not be able to provide the nutritious meals that will safeguard the health of our nation's children." More on this Orwellianness: http://bit.ly/cXvRyW
Like one of those saccharine Robin Williams characters at the end of all his moving, Paul Volcker looked out at an audience of $10,000 suits today and pocketed his prepared speech. Instead, he delivered what the Wall Street Journal called a "blistering, off-the-cuff critique leveled at nearly every corner of the financial system." Two of his better ones:
On business schools -- "We had all our best business schools in the United States pouring out financial engineers, every smart young mathematician and physicist said 'I don't want to be a civil engineer, a mechanical engineer. I'm a smart guy, I want to go to Wall Street.' And then you know all the risks were going to be sliced and diced and [people thought] the market would be resilient and not face any crises. We took care of all that stuff, and I think that was the general philosophy that markets are efficient and self correcting and we don't have to worry about them too much.
On central banks and the Fed -- "Central banks became...maybe a little too infatuated with their own skills and authority because they found secrets to price stability...I think its fair to say there was a certain neglect of supervisory responsibilities, certainly not confined to the Federal Reserve, but including the Federal Reserve, I only say that because the Federal Reserve is the most important in my view."
The whole screed is worth the click: http://bit.ly/9NSAer
Yes, C-SPAN will be covering Stephen Colbert's testimony tomorrow: http://twitter.com/cspan/statuses/25341506123
GOP California Gov candidate Meg Whitman said today she's against that belching, oil-industry-funded Prop 23.
TODAY'S TERKEL TAKEDOWN - From Amanda Terkel: "One item noticeably missing from today's 'Pledge to America' was an explanation of how the party would cut spending, particularly by dealing with Social Security and Medicare, which many Republicans have publicly said need to be cut and privatized, although they've been reluctant to embrace such measures as an official party position (Social Security was mentioned just twice, and Medicare mentioned eight times.). Boehner refused to answer reporters' questions with specifics about how the party would cut spending -- saying instead that the country needed to have an 'adult conversation' about the issues -- although he eventually admitted that cuts to entitlement programs were still on the table." http://huff.to/bMSaoQ
"Top Obama adviser David Axelrod got an earful of the liberal blogosphere's anger at the White House moments ago, when a blogger on a conference call directly called out Axelrod over White House criticism of the left, accusing Axelrod of 'hippie punching.' 'We're the girl you'll take under the bleachers but you won't be seen with in the light of day,' the blogger, Susan Madrak of Crooks and Liars, pointedly told Axelrod on the call, which was organized for liberal bloggers and progressive media." Greg Sargent: http://bit.ly/aaIc0y
STAFFERS' VALUE TO K STREET PRECISELY CALCULATED - Arthur Delaney: "A new study from the London School of Economics finds that when a U.S. senator leaves the Hill, the lobbyists who used to work for him make 24 percent less money for their firms. That amounts to $177,000 less per lobbyist per year. Other fun facts: Lobbyists who worked in the House make 10 percent less when their former bosses hang it up, and lobbyist ex-staffers are more likely to quit lobbying when their former boss quits. 'Consistent with the notion that lobbyists sell access to powerful elected officials, the drop in revenue increases with the seniority of and committee assignments power held by the Senator immediately prior to leaving office,' write Jordi Blanes i Vidal, Mirko Draca and Christian Fons-Rosen in their report. 'The finding that a large portion of what makes revolving door lobbyists particularly attractive is perishable has the implication that staffers may have relatively short careers. Once a connection to a powerful Senator has been established, a staffer may want to move into lobbying and cash in this unique asset while it is still valuable.'" PDF: http://bit.ly/daPA3W
This is precisely why we need a flat tax... or something.
DAILY DELANEY DOWNER - Today Arthur Delaney and another member of Congress go through the motions of discussing the path forward for a bill to help 99ers, the People America Wants to Forget: "It's very tough, but it's a whole lot tougher to be unemployed and to have rent to pay and food to put on the table for your kids to eat," said Shelley Berkley. A helpful commenter asks, "Why don't we just give everyone unemployment benefits until they die????" Woe. http://huff.to/dANT7Y
Double Downer: Oil and Gas Industry May Sue OSHA over a requirement that oil rig workers wear flame-resistant clothing. Marcus Baram: http://huff.to/cdOOep
HEALTH CARE REFORM PROVISIONS KICK IN TODAY - Six months ago America collectively headbutted a giant yellow box with a question mark on it. Today it's getting its comically large power-up mushroom. Reforms launching today, from CNN: http://bit.ly/ar1aRq
@billburton44: My colleague Ben Rhodes just announced that potus will be interviewed by BBC Persia tomorrow morning. #whbrief
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UNIONS BEEFING UP EFFORT TO OPPOSE REPEAL OF ORGANIZING RULE - Trumka must be yay close to swelling up and turning green. "The Workforce Fairness Institute had its state affiliates in Colorado, Kentucky, Nevada and New Hampshire send out press releases Wednesday opposing the new rule by the National Mediation Board. Each release asked Democratic Senate candidates in those states -- Sens. Michael Bennet (Colo.) and Harry Reid (Nev.) as well as Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.) and Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway -- their position on the rule. The resolution also has the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. Both groups sent out letters this week, asking senators to oppose the board's new rule and vote for the resolution...The new rule by the board could lead to more unionization at airline and railway companies. Originally, workers who did not cast a vote in union elections at companies covered by the Railway Labor Act were counted as 'no' votes against forming a union, making it difficult for those companies to be organized. Now under the new rule, a simple majority of workers who voted is all that is needed to form a union at companies covered by the Act." The Hill: http://bit.ly/cn4xEh
CASTLE TOYING WITH WRITE-IN CAMPAIGN - It looks like Delaware voters might have the opportunity to vote for "Mercowskey" too! "Describing himself as "hurt and stunned" by his Senate primary defeat to Christine O'Donnell more than a week ago, Rep. Mike Castle said Wednesday he isn't ruling out the possibility of a write-in campaign. The Delaware Republican said he 'probably' would not run, but has not ruled it out 'simply because it's there, simply because I've had a number of people who've asked that I do that,' he told reporters outside the House floor following votes. The day after his 53.1 percent to 46.9 percent loss to O'Donnell on Sept. 14, Castle's staff said he would not launch a write-in campaign. Castle would have to declare his candidacy by Sept. 30 at 4:30 p.m. in writing at the state Election Office for his votes to be counted." Wilmington News Journal: http://bit.ly/c7UaIt
Castle's talk of possibly mounting a write-in bid has irked some of his counterparts in the Senate. Lucia Graves: "'I'm against it,' said John Cornyn (R-Texas) when asked if he would support Castle as a write-in. 'We're supporting the nominee.'...'Well the position of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee is that when voters of the state have nominated a Republican nominee that's the person we support,' said Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). What if supporting Castle could help you pick up a seat? a reporter asked. 'That's the person we support,' said Kyl." http://huff.to/aLGOoG
@MikePradaSBN: Grunfeld said that the #Wizards are going to red, white and blue jerseys
REP. CHELLIE PINGREE: POT PAGING KETTLE - Move over limousine liberals, what we've got here is a private jet progressive: "U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, has taken frequent flights on a private jet owned by her partner Donald Sussman, founder and chairman of a billion dollar hedge fund called Paloma Partners, while conducting business as a member of Congress, according to an investigative blog called MaineWatchdog. In 2006, Pingree, while president of Common Cause, a non-partisan, non-profit group that promotes government transparency, criticized such travel by members of Congress, MaineWatchdog reports. 'Most Americans never have and never will fly on a chartered jet, much less a fancy corporate jet complete with wet bar and leather couches,' she said, according to written testimony before the House Subcommittee on the Constitution in 2006. 'So when members of Congress constantly fly around on corporate jets and pay only the cost of a commercial ticket, it contributes to the corrosive public perception that members of Congress are more like the fat cats of Wall Street than they are like the rest of us.'" Portland Press Herald: http://bit.ly/cAg803
PINGREE RESPONDS: - Pingree spokesman Willie Rich tells HuffPost Hill that the plane is owned by Pingree's boyfriend, not her boyfriend's company, and that she had prior approval from the ethics committee to fly on it because she has a pre-existing (three year) relationship with him.
Turns out this isn't the record-setting year for African-American Republican candidates as some may have led you to believe. From Who Runs Gov: "Only 13 African Americans are left running for the House on the GOP ticket this fall. That's a higher number than in recent cycles, but nowhere near record levels -- and far below the number running just a decade ago. As recently as 2000, 23 African Americans ran as GOP nominees for the House, according to the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the leading national institution that gathers data on African American elected officials and general election candidates. (It stands to reason an even greater number were candidates before the field was whittled by primaries.)" http://bit.ly/bpMbTW
Linda McMahon's campaign would like the relatively moderate Connecticut electorate to know its candidate does not support dismantling the Department of Education. Sam Stein: "The former WWE header reportedly told a Tea Party crowd, back in April 2010, that she was positively disposed towards dismantling those three government agencies, according to a story in the Connecticut Mirror. Democrats pounced on the report, citing it as evidence that McMahon had forfeited principle in hopes of currying favor with conservative activists. But a spokesman for the Connecticut Republican's campaign told the Huffington Post on Thursday that there was nothing definitive about what McMahon said back in April. She called 'for a thorough review of these departments,' said Ed Patru, 'and she makes it clear that until that happens, she can't take a position in favor of dismantling.'"
And while we're talking about candidates for office and the bomb sheltering, Soldier of Fortune-subscribing folks they inspire, Joe Miller has been receiving a lot of praise recently from militias. Justin Elliott in Salon on "the unusual enthusiasm Miller's candidacy has generated among members of militia and Second Amendment absolutist groups in Alaska who are excited about his hardline stance against the federal government.
'It's safe to say that Joe Miller is a friend of patriots,' Norm Olson, commander of the Alaska Citizens Militia, told Salon. 'His beliefs and platform favor Second Amendment rights as well as the power of nullification when the federal government intrudes into the private lives of Alaskans.' Olson, who lives on the Kenai Peninsula, claims that his group has several hundred members and supporters, adding, 'what fuels the militia is fear.' The militia's ideology is outlined in a list of 17 'acts of war.' The list includes 'firearms restrictions or other disarmament,' 'mandatory medical anything,' 'federal patrols,' 'taking control of children under duress or threat,' 'federalization of law enforcement,' and "surrender powers to a corporation or foreign government.'" http://bit.ly/abzHZz
BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here's a dancing baby elephant playing a harmonica: http://bit.ly/14xOWK
Somebody get the NRCC a 'scrip for some lithium, because this bipolar hit on Paul Kanjorski has us worried: "He doesn't want input from Northeastern Pennsylvanians, even though he voted to cut their Medicare benefits and force many into government-run health care." The higher you fly, the farther you fall.
FIRST LOOK at Dana Milbank's new book, "Tears of a Clown: Glenn Beck and the Tea Bagging of America." Some notable excerpts compiled by Nick Wing:
-- "Watching the shtick of the forty-six-year-old recovering alcoholic and cocaine addict, typical Beck viewers probably have no idea he is introducing them to some of the most controversial fields of Mormon theology, such as the White Horse Prophecy, which envisions the Latter-day Saints rescuing the U.S. Constitution."
-- "Taking it up a notch seems always to be Beck's goal, and his recipe for success. Problem is, there aren't many notches left for him. After entertaining the crowd with a couple of penis jokes (about the name of Democratic congressman Anthony Weiner), he warns of an imminent takeover of the country by a global government: 'Maybe it's better, then, that we just don't make it' as a civilization, 'because they are building a global cage. They're building a machine to redistribute the wealth all over the globe.'"
-- "The man who has just described himself as a 'serf' rather than a 'landowner' disembarks and steps into his sixteen-room neo-Colonial mansion on Ponus Ridge (Ponus was the Greek god of hard labor), which he purchased in 2005 for $4.25 million. Perhaps he winds down by taking a swim in the pool or strolling his 2.87 acres bordering Laurel Reservoir... It is a castle fit for a king, but unlike other castles, Beck's, sadly, did not come with fortifications. So he built them. He showed up at the New Canaan Zoning Commission office in 2008 with his wife and his bodyguard and his lawyer, demanding an exemption from zoning laws to allow him to surround himself on all sides with a six-foot barrier: a four-foot stone wall topped by two feet of wood fencing in the front, and a six-foot wooden barrier elsewhere."
-- "Beck declined to be interviewed for this book. He said on air before a single word had been written that it was a 'smear.' But as Beck himself said of Van Jones, one of the Obama administration officials he forced from office: 'How is it that a smear campaign is conducted when you're only using the person's words? ... Am I smearing him by using his own words?'"
-- "Beck made a rare foray into public affairs one morning in 1986 after Reagan ordered the bombing of Libya. He and a friend had written a song with the chorus 'Gaddafi Sucks, Gadddafi Sucks' and Reagan's voice saying 'Frankly, Gaddafi sucks' over the New Wave music of the time."
Get it on Amazon for $16.47 http://amzn.to/aEmeMQ
Actually, get Alex Zaitchik's bio of Beck, a thoroughly reported book that will make you shudder http://amzn.to/ckrMeN
For all you Linnaean taxonomers out there, John Boehner is NOT a member of the genus oompus loompus: "Addressing a perennial source of jokes, Mr. Boehner says his dark complexion is natural, similar to that of his mother and four (of 12) siblings. 'I have never been in a tanning bed or used a tanning product,' Mr. Boehner said. His staff showed a high-school group photo where he has the darkest face in Moeller High's all-male class." WSJ (oh yeah they also talk about his suspect business ties): http://bit.ly/b83ccZ
This isn't the photograph, is it? http://bit.ly/7bwwi
Today in "Kevin Bacon Game shortcuts:" the Barbara Mikulski and Troy Polamalu edition. Baltimore Sun: "Vice President Joe Biden spoke at a fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) Thursday morning at the home of Stewart W. Bainum Jr. and Sandra Bainum in Chevy Chase, Md...Biden began his remarks by saying he had done events for a lot of Democrats, and '[t]here's not a single one I'm more proud to be associated with' than Mikulski. 'If this were like Fantasy Football' for Democrats, Biden asked, 'who would be among the first two or three people you would pick?' Mikulski would be among the first selected in his draft, Biden confirmed, because 'I love her gumption. I love her passion.'" http://bit.ly/946Umf
Eliot Spitzer, clearly nursing some wounds, on Andrew Cuomo's gubernatorial campaign: "The problem that Andrew has is that everybody knows that behind the scenes, he is the dirtiest, nastiest political player out there and that is his reputation from years in Washington. When his father was governor, he was the tough guy. He has brass knuckles and he played hard ball. He has a lot of enemies out there. Nobody's been willing to stand up to him. When it appeared he was going to win, it was inevitable. If it appears not to be inevitable, things may change." Times Union: http://bit.ly/d1OGrP
Meghan McCain skipped out on her speaking engagement for other "professional responsibilities." ...Not so much. "Ms. McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain and a blogger for the Daily Beast, was scheduled to speak today at Juniata College, in Huntingdon, Pa., as part of a tour to promote her new book, Dirty Sexy Politics. On Friday her publicist notified Juniata that Ms. McCain was canceling her appearance due to 'several unforeseen professional responsibilities.'...Those responsibilities, according to her Twitter feed, involved a trip to Las Vegas" Chronicle of Higher Education: http://bit.ly/d0VZdG
SAM "SARTORIALIST" STEIN'S DEAL OF THE DAY - "On Friday, Joseph A. Bank is having perhaps the most absurd promotion it's sponsored yet. Shoppers who buy a single suit can purchase an additional $1,000 worth of menswear items for free. For those just dying to own 20 pairs of Darren Suede Slippers, this is your chance. Or if you've been too embarrassed to own a hideously ugly Reversible Tartan Plaid Vest, you can now grab one free of cost. What's the rub you say? There really is none. The Huffington Post called Joseph A. Bank's customer service line twice on Thursday to confirm that our eyes had not deceived us. 'It's true,' said an agent, adding that the minimum purchase price for suits at most stores is $395." Thanks, Sam!
NICK THE INTERN'S WEATHER REPORT - Tonight: Likely to be dark with a chance of general sunlessness, which will cause temperatures to drop slightly. Tomorrow: Hot and sweaty for your casual Friday. We recommend dropping the sleeves and testing your boss's open-mindedness by wearing hot pants. Thanks, Nick!
JBI!?
COMFORT FOOD
- Warm memories of the defunct-ish Blockbuster. http://on.vh1.com/9VM7gP
- "If you and your spouse hate each other like poison and want to get out of the hell hole you call a marriage you've come to the right place." http://bit.ly/9plinI
- Things we never thought we'd find ourselves saying but this ice cube tray is friggin sweet. http://bit.ly/c0jQgw
- "I emailed a major pharmaceutical firm asking why their $500 version of a generic drug is worth the $490 premium. A rep sent me this accidental response (I am not Jim)."
http://i.imgur.com/4HQzt.jpg
- There goes the neighborhood: One Washingtonian's account of how white people are ruining everything. http://bit.ly/c8IleJ
- Not quite Justin Bieber played at 100x reduced speed, but the Olson Twins slowed down ain't bad. http://bit.ly/cxfFUi
- A "Trololo" mashup. http://bit.ly/bqOzSy
TWITTERAMA
@alyankovic: EPIC FAIL!! http://twitpic.com/2r9nxk
@evale72: Boehner - I have not had tanual relations with that bed or spray.
@MPOTheHill: Emily's List looking to Krystal Ball for signs of future success. No, really.
@pourmecoffee: They really need to put a fence around that Enthusiasm Gap. It's so easy to fall in that thing.
ON TAP
TONIGHT
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm: Colorado congressional candidate Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) is in D.C. He stops by -- where else? -- the Capitol Hill Club for a campaign function attended by John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Pete Sessions (R-Texas) [Capitol Hill Club, 300 First Street SE].
5:00 pm- 6:30 pm: Ohio Senate candidate Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is already getting into the lawmaker lifestyle with a lobbyist fundraiser. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) stops by along with various members of Ohio Republican delegation [The Offices of Davis and Harman, 1455 Pennsylvania Ave NW].
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm: Carly Fiorina (R-Calif.) is in town to meet with GOP lawmakers and fill her coffers. She'll be joined at a fundraiser by Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) [National Republican Senatorial Committee, 425 2nd Street NE].
TOMORROW
9:00 am: Todd Lally (R-Ky), who is gunning for John Yarmuth's House seat, attends a morning campaign reception. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is scheduled to attend [Johnny's Half Shell, 400 North Capitol Street NW #175].
5:00 pm: Give us horns and a halfway decent rhythm section and we're happy campers. Soul Train Happy Hour at U Street Music Hall features all the retro soul you'll ever need [U Street Music Hall, 1115 U Street NW]
8:00 pm: Lewis Black that irascible comedian best known for his "Back in Black" rants on the "Daily Show", performs [Warner Theatre, 1299 Pennsylvania Ave NW].
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