Fenstemaker's Diary

2003-07-09T15:59:00.000-04:00

Let's talk Huntinington Metro Station. First of all, thanks to Maureen for adding me to her DC Metro Blog Map, where you can find me at the Huntington Station link.

Second... I drive to the aforementioned station most days and park across the street in a private lot run by Colonial Parking. Have been for years. And every day, me and the other couple of hundred people who park there cross in the middle of Huntington Avenue to get to the station. So yesterday, there were four Fairfax County Police officers (motorcycle cops) hanging out there giving warning tickets for jaywalking. They said they're trying to "educate" people to use the crosswalks at the end of the block.

In the five years I've been using this parking lot, I've never seen any human take the extra couple of minutes to walk to the corner and wait for a walk signal. And my own personal opinion is that anybody who's too stupid to cross in the middle of the block without getting run over deserves what he (or she) gets.

Gee, in this era of tight budgets and hightened security requirements, ain't it great that Fairfax County is using its finite and valuable police resources to combat freaking jaywalking?!

2003-07-08T17:32:00.000-04:00

I love Grover-bashing. Kudo's to Slate's Chris Sullentrop for this article doing just that. Plus a funny little drawing to boot.

2003-07-07T15:53:00.000-04:00

I read Bob Schieffer's memoir over the weekend and was struck by what he wrote about the '72 Democratic convention, which nominated George McGovern. McGovern rewrote the convention rules to get his base supporters in and freeze out establishment and officeholding Dems.

Now, there have been alot of comparisons between McGovern and Howard Dean. I think much of it is overdone. No election is very much like previous ones, so there is no perfect template to find in history. This election will not be 1972 or 1984 or 1992 redux. But there are bits and pieces that fit sometimes.

So it makes an interesting question. IF Dean goes all the way, are the Dem superdelegates really going to rally behind him? Would Dean be able to freeze them out of the convention. Or would they all just show up, enjoy the complimentary cocktails, go home, and spend the fall sitting on their hands?

2003-07-07T11:51:00.000-04:00

Say it ain't so, Kobe! The heretofore good-citizen Lakers star is accused of sexual assault. Obviously, it's too early to know what the facts are here.

One of the interesting - if unfortunate - side effects of this is that it may actually increase Kobe's marketability as a spokesperson in the big-money sneaker industry. As ESPN's Ric Boucher recently noted, "The knock on Kobe is that his affluent upbringing and clean-cut image -- raised in an upscale 'burb, no legal scrapes, no tattoos -- has hurt him as an endorser."

Kind of a sad commentary that run-ins with the authorities would increase his "street-cred" with the urban youth (read: poor, black inner-city kids) who overspend on sneakers.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled political blogging.

2003-07-04T23:38:00.000-04:00

There's no better place to watch DC's fireworks show than the top-floor corner suite of a major defense contractor. However, as one of my compatriots pointed out, there is some irony in celebrating America's independence in the office of a British company.

Anyway, many thanks to the divine Ms. Griggs for hosting the bash.

2003-07-04T14:46:00.000-04:00

Happy Fourth of July! Remember, if you're not drinking liquor and setting off firecrackers, then the terrorists have won.

2003-07-03T11:20:00.000-04:00

And now we're at 6.4 percent unemployment. Part of the jump this month has to do with previously discouraged workers getting back into the job hunt - and thus the statistical radar screen - but that's not politically relevant. The number is what's important. What's the magic number in the unemployment figure that starts to seriously erode Bush's popularity when it's hit? I'm thinking 6.7 percent, but it's just a guess.

2003-07-03T10:48:00.000-04:00

I went to see The Italian Job (two and a half stars, by the way) with my friend the liberal Democrat Hill staffer. We talked a bit about the Phenomenon That Is Howard Dean. Despite her best efforts, she's not excited. She wanted to be excited, since he seemed to be a tough voice for liberalism. Then she found out that he's pro-gun and a little waffley on gay mariage. So it turned out in her mind that he's mainly just shrill and loud. So she's back to Kerry.

Clearly my friend is not representative of your average Dem voter, so don't read too much into this. Just a little slice of inside-the-Beltway thinking.

2003-07-02T13:20:00.000-04:00

Presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich (D-Fantasyland) comments on being endorsed by Willie Nelson:

"It's an honor to earn the support of a man who has come to symbolize the best values of America."
[Source: The Hotline 7-2-03]

Let's review the values that Willie Nelson symbolizes, shall we?

- Great country music
- Pot smokin'
- Tax dodgin'

One out of three ain't bad, I guess.

2003-07-02T11:42:00.000-04:00

So have you seen Tom Davis's candidate for Fairfax County Board Chair, Mychele Brickner? I mean in person. She's got a fine resume, what with having been on the school board and all. Everybody gets all gushy over education, so it's a plus. But this woman couldn't speak or debate her way out of a paper bag. I saw her in a primary debate, and she spent the whole time literally cowering behind the podium. It was pitiful. Gerald Connolly is going to kick her butt.

2003-07-02T10:55:00.000-04:00

Is it just me, or are ALOT of GOP congresscritters looking for press secretaries lately? Hart, Castle, Burgess, Snowe, Pryce, Shadegg, Granger, Emerson...

2003-07-01T10:24:00.000-04:00

So I'm sure you're all begging to know what I think of NBC's brand-spanking-new political e-newsletter, "First Read." Not much. It does have the virtue of being quite a bit shorter than "The Note," but there is zero personality here. It's just not a fun read. Imagine the Daybook in gramtically correct, complete sentences. Hotline's "Wake-Up Call" is extremely short, and has alot more zip. The downside, of course, is that you (or your employer) has to pay for it.

Anyway, "The Note" is still tops in my book.

2003-06-30T11:41:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the new NARAL ad? I love it -- it scares the shit out of me, and I'm pro-life! This is all, of course, just in case there's a Supreme Court vacancy, which it look like there won't be this year.

So, Committee for Justice, can you top this? I hope that you've got ads in the can for next year. Their ads thus far have been OK, but have not had the punch that NARAL's has. Mainly going for a feel-good immigration land-of-opportunity theme.

Besides the difference in emotional impact, I don't think anyone's seen the Committee's ads on TV. They don't have the money. Come on Rushton; fundraise, fundraise, fundraise! If you think a $25-a-head reception with First Hunk George P. Bush is going to do it, think again. Last time I checked, these fat girls didn't have PACs.

If, as expected, Bush sends up a Hispanic for his first Supreme Court vacancy, it'll be latinos vs. soccer moms. Which group do you think votes more consistently? Advantage, Dems.

2002-05-31T11:43:00.000-04:00

This is all stuff from the old blog, which seems to be pretty much defective. Now I just need to start posting again.

Friday, May 31, 2002
Boy, have I been out awhile...

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 11:36 AM
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Monday, April 08, 2002
TO-DO LIST: Kiss up to these people. Two down, fifty to go.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 10:59 AM
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Thursday, April 04, 2002
Ladies man, raconteur, and Saudi ambassador to the US Prince Bandar bin Sultan was in Oklahoma this week pushing the Saudi peace plan. Under the plan, Israel would retreat to the smaller territory it occupied before it kicked Arab ass in the 1967 war. In return, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries would officially recognize Israel's right to exist. Bandar is upset that Israel has chosen to hunt Palestinian terrorists instead of negotiate with Saudi Arabia.

Of course, Saudi Arabia isn't the organization that is killing Israelis by the dozens almost every day. I'm sure Israel would be very happy to have all the Arab states recognize them. However, the fact that a bunch of guys -- and now gals -- with bombs strapped around their waists don't recognize Israel's right to exist is a bit more of a priority.

Even if Israel signed on to the Saudi plan today, another dozen Israelis would probably be murdered tomorrow. The terrorists are not interested in Israel returning to its pre-1967 borders. They're interested in moving the Israelis somewhere into the Mediterranean Sea.

Israel is at war with Palestinians, so why negotiate with Saudis? They might as well negotiate with the Canadians, for all the good it will do them.

Speaking of Saudi Arabia... U.S. News Washington Whispers wonders about whether Tony Blair will don country-western attire on his upcoming trip to the Bush ranch in Crawford. They also mention in passing that Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah is next on the Crawford guest list. I'm sure Tony Blair will be perfectly fine with the Sheplers wardrobe. But what about Abdullah? Will he drop the sheik chic for boots and jeans? That would certainly be something to see.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 1:17 PM
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Tuesday, April 02, 2002
The Washington Post reports that Mrs. Marion Barry has moved out of the house in the wake of the recent police report that the former DC mayor was caught with trace amounds of crack and pot in his car. Is this about the drugs or about the "woman he described as a 'longtime political ally' who had sought him out for counseling," whom he says he was waiting to meet when the cops showed up?

Come on, Marion! You're a professional, and you should be able to invent a better alibi than that!

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 5:37 PM
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Rob Walker has a hilarious Enron/Andersen accounting parody in Slate today.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 3:47 PM
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Monday, April 01, 2002
Ahh, the first day of baseball season. That can mean only one thing for well-connected Washingtonians: free O's tickets, complements of your friendly neighborhood lobbyist. I don't ask for much -- just five or six trips to Camden Yards, gratis. Club level will be fine.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 9:53 PM
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Check out the employment section in today's issue of Roll Call. A mysteriously unnamed "high profile gubernatorial campaign in New England" is seeking a Press Secretary and a Coalitions Director. Looks like Mitt Romney is staffing up.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 1:08 PM

Friday, March 29, 2002
If you're a National Journal subscriber, check out their annual list of salaries for lobbying, union, trade association, etc. CEOs. As Lloyd Grove notes (looks like he got an advanced copy), Hollywood's DC rep, Jack Valenti, tops the salary charts. No wonder Fred Thompson wants his job.

Interestingly, Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist is listed at only $4800/year. I wonder if that's a typo. In any case, don't cry for Grover. He makes plenty doing lobbying and political consulting on the side.

I'm happy to see that my boss is comfortably in the $300K range.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 11:33 AM
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Thursday, March 28, 2002
If you're like me, you really enjoy obscure economic statistics. If that's the case, please get a life. I have an excuse, as my girlfriend lives 1200 miles away. Speaking of which, I need to call her. Now, where was I? Oh yes, obscure economic statistics. Check out the Baker Hughes Rig Count, which is a weekly census of the number of drilling rigs actively exploring for or developing oil or natural gas in the United States and Canada. This week, the good ol' U-S-of-A added 11 rigs drilling for petroleum. Woo-hoo! Now let's get into ANWR and really drum up those numbers!

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 9:13 PM
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NOTE TO SELF: Clean out freezer, check for smallpox vaccine.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 2:39 PM
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Howard Kurtz seems to think that Bush's "stealth signing" of Shays-Meehan is a net-negative for him, asking "How better to put your rival back in the spotlight?... Sometimes spin control just backfires." I disagree, and am once again struck by the intelligent selflessnes of the White House spin operation. President Bush passes up the chance to grandstand on campaign finance reform in order to deprive his opponents (in both parties) of the chance to grandstand on campaign finance reform. Plus, the "reformers" risk looking like whiners if they complain about not getting a signing ceremony. This is probably the most subtle and cunning use of political jujitsu I've seen from a White House.

(For the record, the most unsubtle -- and devestatingly effective -- was the Clinton/Gingrich government-shutdown showdown.)

And today's Hotline asks a great question: Can '04 and '06 candidates immediately start raising hard money in $2000 increments? Mark Braden, call your office.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 2:34 PM
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Wednesday, March 27, 2002
As James Ledbetter notes in this Slate piece, it looks like some folks at the National Association of Business Economists are suggesting that fiscal policy could have a major impact on the health of the economy. This theory has been quite out of fashion since the Volcker-Greenspan era of inflation-fighting at the Fed. Last week, the New York Times reported that some economists and public-policy types are crediting increased government spedning -- war, stimulus, homeland security, etc. -- with ending the recession/slowdown/whatever.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 4:12 PM
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BIPAC held a press briefing on their political strategery for the next couple of campaigns. I hope this means that they actually intend to get their hands dirty, but it doesn't really look like it. They seem to be more interested in telling all the other business associations how to do things. Specifically, copy the AFL-CIO. Well, duh. That's what all the business associations are trying to do. At least the Chamber, NFIB, Contractors, etc., have actually made some concrete steps in that direction.

In the same vein, it will be interesting to see if Tom DeLay's STOMP organization can be effective. The idea is to take GOP volunteers in safe congressional districts and transport them to swing districts to walk blocks, make phone calls, etc. Sort of like what ROMP did with money -- at least before all the wannabe committee chairmen got in on the act. Anyway, people are obviously less liquid than money, so if they can make this work it will be a great accomplishment of both politics and logistics.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 3:25 PM
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Anybody else out in political-junkie-ville as annoyed as I am about the consistent lateness of the Hotline? It's supposed to be up every day at 11:40 AM, with Last Call up at 4:00 PM. Yeah, right. If the Hotline were actually up at noon, I could read it while I eat lunch.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 11:03 AM
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There's a nasty little discussion about Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist going on at Capital Grilling. As you may note from my postings there, I'm not a big Grover fan. To borrow from Alice Roosevelt, if you don't have anything nice to say about Grover, sit next to me!

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 10:52 AM
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Hello. Welcome to my 'Blog. Let me get some stuff up here for you.

posted by Arthur Fenstemaker | 10:20 AM