Archive: January 20, 2008 - January 26, 2008
Rep. Weldon To Spend More Time With Family, Really
In this case at least, it appears a retiring politician really is leaving to spend more time with his family. Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.), a physician, announced today that he'll retire at the end of the 110th Congress to return to his medical practice and spend more time with his family. Ironically, his announcement came hours after his 21-year-old daughter, Katie Weldon, was arrested and...
By Mary Ann Akers | January 25, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Comments (47)
Sen. Leahy's Cameo With Heath Ledger
Sen. Patrick Leahy's film career has taken a macabre turn this week with the mysterious death of 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" star Heath Ledger. The Vermont Democrat, who had silver-screen cameos in two previous Batman movies, has a bit role in "The Dark Knight," the sequel to "Batman Begins," which is set to be released next summer -- though Ledger's death appears to have thrown post...
By Mary Ann Akers | January 25, 2008; 10:44 AM ET | Comments (48)
James Clyburn: Undeclared, Not Undecided
Rep. James Clyburn, the South Carolina Democrat who just days ago admonished former president Bill Clinton to "chill a little" with his attacks against Barack Obama, says the "rough and tumble" of the 2008 primaries isn't what bothers him. It's giving the enemy fodder for the general election that worries him. Clyburn, a member of the House Democratic leadership team, has found himself refereeing a...
By Mary Ann Akers | January 24, 2008; 6:36 PM ET | Comments (31)
Bitter Primary To Succeed Hastert
If you thought the presidential campaign was nasty, get a load of the GOP primary in the special election in Illinois to replace the former speaker of the House, Republican Denny Hastert. This race has it all: entrenched bitter enemies, dirty money, ice cream... and dead cows (but not real dead cows). The Republican candidates in the Feb. 5 primary election make the spats between...
By Eric Pianin | January 23, 2008; 6:00 PM ET | Comments (50)
Economic Blues Don't Stop Bono From Lobbying
It was that time again on Capitol Hill Tuesday: Time for Bono to show up and push for funding for debt relief and the fight against global poverty and AIDS. Only this time it was not such a fine time for the rock star/lobbyist to be pitching foreign aid -- smack dab in the middle of an economic crisis. Bono lobbies one of his biggest...
By Mary Ann Akers | January 23, 2008; 9:14 AM ET | Comments (47)
Potential New Top Diplomat: A Clothes Horse
Even if he was colossally wrong about the stock market, here's one thing James K. "Jim" Glassman can predict with certainty: If he wins Senate confirmation to become undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, he'll improve the sartorial quotient at the State Department by at least 300 percent. Glassman, a former Washington Post columnist and publisher of several news magazines and other publications, is, without...
By Mary Ann Akers | January 22, 2008; 6:36 PM ET | Comments (13)
