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Texas lawmakers on flight that makes unplanned landing
U.S. Rep. John Carter’s spokeswoman said this evening that the Round Rock, Texas, congressman, along with six other Texas lawmakers, was aboard a Continental Airlines flight from Houston to Washington that was forced to land in New Orleans today after losing cabin pressure.
The lawmakers were hoping to make Tuesday night votes in the House. Nobody was harmed and they are expected to arrive in Washington tonight.
According to a report by KHOU, the CBS affiliate in Houston, other Texas lawmakers on the flight were Republicans Ted Poe and Ron Paul and Democrats Ciro Rodriguez, Solomon Ortiz, Nick Lampson and Henry Cuellar.
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Oil prices volatile; Congress predictable
Major U.S. airlines are exhorting frequent fliers to urge Congress to pass the Stop Excessive Speculation Act, aimed at limiting oil speculation. Such limits would help lower fuel prices, supporters say.
On Monday, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and other proponents held a press conference to blame speculators for pushing fuel costs higher. “There is an orgy of speculation,” he said.
But while Dorgan’s outrage was clear, his path to legislative success was not. Senate Democrats are planning a vote Tuesday to end debate and move towards passage this week. But Republicans object, and instead want Congress to open more coastal waters to oil drilling.
Rather than moving towards compromise, the Senate may be on course for another stalemate. Dorgan himself stated the obvious when he concluded: “The Senate isn’t working very efficiently.”
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Rose Garden dance
It was Olympians day in the White House today as President Bush welcomed members of the U.S. team heading to Beijing. The usual congratulatory remarks from the president. The usual honored-to-be-here comments from the Olympians.
And this bit of impromptu Rose Garden dancing from Liv Leschly, 2, of California when the familiar strains of the Olympic theme kicked in. Can’t stop her from dancing when music starts, her mom said.
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Barr cheers Gore’s energy plan
Last week, oil mogul T. Boone Pickens unveiled a plan to increase the amount of electricity supplied by wind power to at least 20 percent as soon as possible. Environmental advocate and former vice president Al Gore called Pickens’ bet — and raised it.
On Thursday, Gore introduced his plan for all electricity in the country to be supplied by renewable, natural resources like wind, solar and geothermal within 10 years. This could be a tall order, considering more than 70 percent of U.S. electricity is supplied by coal, natural gas and petroleum, according to the Department of Energy.
The speech at Washington’s Constitutional Hall drew a packed crowd, which included several politicians, including Libertarian presidential candidate and former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr.
Barr did not hesitate to share his ideas with the media. He called Gore’s plan important for moving the country away from its dependence on foreign oil. He also criticized fellow candidates Barack Obama and John McCain for not showing up for the event, saying their absence showed “they don’t really care about the issue.”
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Bush and McClellan: Together again
Not much to report from the first time that President Bush and former Press Secretary Scott McClellan were in the same room since McClellan penned an unflattering book about his ex-boss.
Could have something to do with the size of the room and the event it housed.
Bush and McClellan didn’t get anywhere near other today at the Washington funeral for Tony Snow, who got the press secretary job when McClellan was forced out. Snow died of cancer on Saturday.
McClellan arrived early and took a seat about two-thirds of the way back in the massive Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the nation’s largest Catholic church.
McClellan stared in Bush’s direction when the president arrived in the church with Laura Bush holding his left arm. They were too far apart to come anywhere near making eye contact.
Bush offered a firm “no comment” when questioned about McClellan’s book at a Tuesday White House press conference.
McClellan saw many of his former administration colleagues but also was nowhere near them in the church.
After the service, he ran into Scott Sforza, formerly a top White House aide in charge of setting the backdrop for presidential events, outside the church. “Good to see you,” Sforza told McClellan.
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Ah, the good old days for housing
Conservative lawmakers are unhappy with much of the housing reform and rescue legislation that Congress likely will pass next week. They say it gives government too big a role in the housing market.
At a hearing Tuesday, Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., said the legislation amounted to “socialism.” He and other conservatives argue that the country should go back to a simpler time when Congress stayed out of the housing market.
On Thursday, a Commerce Department report on June housing starts suggested the country already is starting to relive those simpler days, at least in some ways. Housing starts are now on track to fall below the 1 million level this year for the first time since 1945, when the country was still fighting World War II.
“Even banks with solid balance sheets are reluctant to finance any project related to housing,” said Patrick Newport, an economist with the Global Insight Inc. forecasting firm.
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Mike and Mike and ground-rule doubles
We shall use the above video as a teaching opportunity about baseball, specifically about the most repeated, redundant, recurring mistake made about the game.
The video comes from today’s White House tee ball game, which, as usual was a joyful activity involving kids who are probably too young to realize how cool it is to play tee ball on the South Lawn.
But that’s not the point. The point is about adults, specifically the ones invited to do the play-by-play. On the video you will hear ESPN’s Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic discuss the most impressive hit of the day, a solid line drive by six-year-old Blake Money of North Port, Florida, who lined a one-hopper over the center field fence.
Mike and Mike call it a “ground-rule double.” It is not a ground-rule double. It is a double because the rules of baseball, specifically rule 6.09, say it’s always a double when “a fair ball, after touching the ground, bounds into the stands.”
That’s a book rule, applicable in all circumstances, as opposed to a ground rule enacted to deal with specific conditions at a specific ballpark.
And you can look it up.
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Your government at work
Looking for evidence of government in action (as opposed to government inaction)?
Here’s just a brief summary of things that happened as a result of laws signed this week by President Bush:
The U.S. Postal Service facility in Brockton, Mass., is now the Rocky Marciano Post Office, named for the late boxing great (shown above landing a solid right on Archie Moore).
The bankruptcy courthouse in Brooklyn is now the Conrad B. Duberstein United States Bankruptcy Courthouse, named for a late bankruptcy judge.
And Lock and Dam No. 5 of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System near Redfield, Ark., is no longer Lock and Dam No. 5. It is now the Col. Charles D. Maynard Lock and Dam,” named for the late Army Corps of Engineers official who helped design the project.
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You say tomato, I say recession
Members of the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday tried to get the witness on the hot seat — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke — to admit the country is in a recession.
Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, was among those refusing to accept the official definition of a recession, which is two consecutive quarters of shrinking economic output. So far, government statistics show the economy is still growing, though at a slow pace. “Our government tells us, ‘Well, there is no recession, so things must be all right,’ ” Paul said. Despite such assurances, “a lot of people are very angry,” he said.
Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., pushed Bernanke: “Do you believe that we are in a recession?”
Bernanke replied, “I don’t know.” He said that calling a recession is a “technical” matter for economists. But he was willing to admit that no matter what the statistics show, “this is clearly a rough time.”
So he did use an R word to describe the economy.
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Texan Gottesman returns to White House
Former presidential personal aide Blake Gottesman, who left the White House in 2006 to pick up a Harvard MBA, now has that degree and is returning to the administration in a post further up the organizational chart.
The White House today announced that Gottesman, a native of Austin, is now an “assistant to the president” and “deputy chief of staff,” replacing longtime Bush aide Joe Hagin, who recently announced his upcoming departure. Hagin has had a broad portfolio - including overseeing major projects such as remodeling of the White House press area and the super-secret situation room. Hagin also has been instrumental in working out details of Bush foreign trips.
Says Press Secretary Dana Perino, Gotteman is “a trusted aide who understands the tremendous challenges overseeing White House operations.”
“He is well-respected in the White House,” says Perino, “and will do an outstanding job to help ensure the staff continues to effectively serve the American people throughout the remainder of the president’s administration.”
Gottesman, 28, has been working in Boston at Berkshire Partners LLC.
In his previous White House incarnation, he spent four years with the unofficial title of “body man,” a post that put him in close contact with Bush many hours a day, often seven days a week. He delivered presidential speeches to the podium, loaded Bush’s iPod and took care of a large portfolio of tasks aimed at making Bush’s days go smoothly.
The job put him in close contact with Bush at many crucial moments, including 9/11.
His departure in May 2006 raised an eyebrow or two because he was headed for graduate studies at Harvard Business School - a Bush alma mater - though he had done only one year of undergraduate work at Claremont McKenna College in California.
Latest comments
Wow…I say let’s do it in 1 year. Why wait? Does this make me the winner?
Don’t most of us know that Pickens just invested a bunch of money in wind power? And of course this is just Gore being Gore?? Sure wish Gore was this
... read the full comment by Larry | Comment on Barr cheers Gore's energy plan Read Barr cheers Gore's energy plan
Carly Fiorina, the woman who was solely responsible for the collapse and virtual destruction of one of the America’s industrial giants of technology: Hewlett Packard. And her reward for such utter incompetence? She got a severance package of more than $21
... read the full comment by Lew | Comment on Fiorina in McCain Cabinet? Read Fiorina in McCain Cabinet?
There is not enough lithium in the World to provide for even 10% of automobiles
TOYOTA PRIUS the car that James is driving ALREADY cut sales BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH BATTERIES for older PRIUSES to replace!!!!
Dont buy into electric cars.
... read the full comment by Kabud | Comment on Spymaster Drives For Sixty Cents Per Gallon Read Spymaster Drives For Sixty Cents Per Gallon
To the Honorable Representative Lamar Smith: Please stop increasing the power of the federal government, and leave criminal prosecutions and punishments to the states. Read the Constitution. Sincerely, Russ
... read the full comment by Russ Columbo | Comment on Lamar Smith, other Republicans want to amend Constitution on child rape Read Lamar Smith, other Republicans want to amend Constitution on child rape