April 2006 Archives

The regular Saturday morning radio address

In anticipation of Monday immigration marchs occuring as the Senate struggles with forging a compromise....

Today at 8:30 AM (Chicago time) Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Dick Durbin and Senator Edward Kennedy will join American Roman Catholic Cardinals at a press availability to discuss the need for bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform and to ensure that 12 million immigrants are not turned into criminals.

Did I mention yet I saw George Clooney yesterday? He is swell-looking. Nice build.

UPDATE.. Have questions about the U.S. efforts to aid Sudan? Check out www.whitehouse.gov to chat Friday at 1:30 p.m. Chicago time with Ambassador Jendayi Frazer the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs .....

AND....watch for in Friday's paper my column about Clooney et al...

EARLIER... A march to highlight the genocidal murders in Darfur is being held Sunday on the National Mall in Washington and in Chicago's Loop at 219 N. Dearborn on Monday.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, co-stars in a press conference in Washington on Thursday with actor George Clooney who last week visited the region.

Obama will speak at the rally on the mall.

Saturday night is when Washington meets Hollywood at the big White House Correspondents Association Dinner.

Your blogger, cleaned up and groomed proper will be there, in the line of duty.

The list, just a click away, is full of bold-face names............

from the caustic poetic pen of Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL)., on GOP denuding ethics and lobbying legislation. Emanuel is the chief of the House Democratic political operation.

UPDATE: The House GOP political organization responds in pentameter.

"Mr. Speaker, investigators have recently uncovered a letter from the Republican Leadership to special interest lobbyists -- I'd like to share it with you today.

Dear K Street Lobbyists,

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

So just what newschannel is on in the White House.....

from the DCCC

DCCC Unveils Candidates in Competitive Red to Blue Fundraising Program

Red to Blue is an Exclusive Program That Rewards Candidates for Meeting Fundraising Goals and Getting Their Message Across to the Voters They Hope to Represent

Bush sked for today, plus ....get the White House perspective on news to use, from the White House MSM clip file.

UPDATE from when I filed today's column (click below).

Late last night, the GOP House leadership rebuffed attempts to but some meat on the ethics and lobby bill bone. I'll post more on this later.

UPDATE
President Bush just wrapped up the announcement naming Tony Snow the new White House press secretary. He replaces Scott McClellan. It was time for McClellan to go.

Snow very briefly took the podium. He looked good.
``Believe it or not I want to work with you,'' Snow said.

I've met Snow a few times. He is much sunnier than McClellan and will probably be a much better communicator, even if all he does is find more pleasant ways to say nothing.

Click and find taut from Senate Democrats responding to Snow's appointment...

Lots of ground covered today...

Departing White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan talks about his replacement, Fox's Tony Snow, Karl Rove's stop at the Grand Jury today and his reduced--but still influential--portfolio at the White House.

Tomorrow, President Bush is heading to the Gulf Coast.

Watergate Deep Throat Mark Felt, suffering from a type of dementia, nonethess is on a book tour.

It's sort of a strange interview, but for the sake of Watergate buffs, here it is.

The problem: Gas pump sticker shock. Brewing as big political issue. Democrats all over it. ``We have two oil men in the White House,'' said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D- Calif.)

Many officials weighing in today with plans to curb soaring gas prices...

From the White House...

The President intends to nominate Steven C. Preston, of Illinois, to be
Administrator of the Small Business Administration. Mr. Preston
currently serves as Executive Vice President of Strategic Services at
The ServiceMaster Company.

At 2:24 Chicago time.....
among those meeting with President Bush....Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and...Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)

On Wednesday, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee(D-TX), Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security
and Claims of the House Judiciary Committee along with Congressman Danny K.
Davis (D-IL) and Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) press for an immigration bill.

Today's story deals with a cosy relationship between Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), who sits on the House telecommunications committee, the Engelwood economic development center he founded and a $1 million grant to the center from the SBC Foundation.

The grant was to build the Bobby L. Rush technology center.

For the past few summers, Big Oil has survived repeated gas gouging accusations from lawmakers concerned about price spikes at the pump.

With the summer driving season approaching and prices climbing to all-time highs, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) are calling for White House and Congressional probes.

My question: Is all that driving really necessary?

President Bush delivers a speech on immigration today, designed to spur the Senate into taking up immigration legislation that derailed just before they left for Spring break. A bi-partisan deal broke down and even with Bush's speech--may be hard to put together again.

The president then flies to Las Vegas for a fundraiser for a congressional candidate.