Harsh criticism
of President Bush by Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq, was
faithfully reported for months. But she was hardly covered last
Saturday when she called Clinton "a political animal who
believes she has to be a war hawk to keep up with the big boys."
Sheehan's criticism was posted on left-wing filmmaker Michael
Moore's website.
While desiring
to support Clinton for president, Sheehan said to her: "I
will resist your candidacy with every bit of my power and strength
unless you show us the wisdom it takes to be a truly great leader.
. . . Sen. Clinton: come out against this occupation of Iraq."
Frail Byrd
Robert Byrd,
senior U.S. senator in both age and seniority, looked exceptionally
frail Tuesday attending an unveiling of the Capitol portrait of
Sen. Margaret Chase Smith. Byrd will be 88 years old Nov. 20.
He was introduced at the event by Senate Democratic Leader Harry
Reid, but did not speak.
Byrd's appearance
fueled speculation that he will not campaign much in person as
he seeks a ninth term from West Virginia next year but will rely
on television ads financed by his massive war chest. Filings showed
he collected $924,000 in contributions for the third quarter ending
Sept. 30, giving him a massive $2,350,000 in cash on hand.
Republican
planners still regard Byrd as a prime target though their first
choice to challenge him, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, did not run.
Byrd may face either former West Virginia University basketball
coach Gale Catlett or West Virginia Secretary of State Betty Ireland.
No-Show Dean
Democratic
National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean routinely turns
down requests from all television networks for traditional joint
appearances with his Republican counterpart, Ken Mehlman.
Dean is
a former governor of Vermont and was a leading candidate for the
Democratic presidential nomination last year, while Mehlman is
a former staffer with little past TV experience. Dean may wish
to avoid what happened during the last election cycle to then
DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe, who consistently came out second
best against then RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie, who, like Mehlman,
had previously been a staffer.
Republicans
grumble that Mehlman gets no reward for accepting the invitations
to joint appearances, because Dean ends up going on the air by
himself anyway.
No-Show Bush
George W.
Bush was not present last Saturday night for the black-tie banquet
of the National Italian-American Foundation (NIAF) at the Washington
Hilton Hotel for the fifth straight year of his presidency.
That angered
Republican members of NIAF, the leading organization of one ethnic
group split evenly between Republicans and Democrats. During the
eight years of the Clinton presidency, either Bill or Hillary
Clinton made every NIAF dinner.
President
Bush's aides told NIAF that he does not like to go out on Saturday
nights. However, Bush has attended such events of the Alfalfa
Club, the Gridiron Club and the White House Correspondents' Association
and stayed the entire evening. NIAF would be happy if Bush, like
Clinton, just delivered pre-dinner remarks and then left.
Honoring a Communist
A new sidewalk
sculpture exhibit in downtown Washington honoring founders of
"enduring social movements" as "positive role models"
for American youth includes W.E.B. Du Bois, a NAACP founder who
was a longtime vocal champion of the Soviet Union and joined the
Communist Party before he died.
The website
for the exhibit ("The Extra Mile") acknowledges Du Bois's
Communist and pro-Soviet leanings, but blames them on U.S. policies.
"The government continued its attacks on [Du Bois] and his
organization, assuming that only a Soviet agent would advocate
for peace," according to the website.
