National and Local Politics

What is the latest local and national political news? Will Marion Barry be successful in his run for the Ward 8 Council seat? Is anyone even paying attention to politics in August?

WTOP political commentator Mark Plotkin is online every other week to discuss the upcoming election, local politics and whatever else is on your mind.

Plotkin recently moved to WTOP after 10 years as a political analyst for WAMU radio. He has been active in D.C. and national politics since attending George Washington University in the late '60s.

The transcript follows

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Mark Plotkin: This really isn't strictly an opening remark on politics, but since I have this venue maybe it will evoke some reaction. I just got off the phone with the spokesperson from Fannie Mae, the extordinarily profitable financial enterprise located on Wisconsin Ave. in Washington, D.C. They make literally billions in profit but pay not one cent in local corporate income tax. That is like General Motors not paying corporate income tax in Detroit or Coca-Cola not paying their fair share in Atlanta. They get away with this because of a Congressional exemption. They refuse to pay any PILOT, which is an acronym for Payment In Lieu Of Taxes. Well, I discovered this summer they gave the grand total of one summer job to D.C. youth. Their chairman, Franklin Raines, prides himself on being the model corporate citizen. What a joke.

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.

Now, look forward to your questions on this matter or the Republican Convention, the presidential campaign or anything that is related to politics -- D.C, Maryland, Virginia or national.

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Alexandria, Va.: Why do you give Elenor Holmes Norton the title of "Congresswoman"? She isn't one. She is a Delegate to Congress, not a member of it.

Now you can argue that she should be a member of Congress, but that's a different issue. I would think that you would want to use her proper title to show that DC doesn't have a member of Congress.

Mark Plotkin: I call her Congresswoman out of respect for the office and maybe wishful thinking that the non-voting delegate should be accorded that title. You are right, the legal and right term is delegate. She can vote in committee but not on the floor of the House of Representatives. But it is not her vote, it is our vote -- the citizens of D.C.

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Herndon, Va.: Mr. Plotkin: Reading the Post, it appears that Mr. Barry is in real trouble in his quest for a council seat. What are his chances?

Mark Plotkin: I moderated a forum this weekend where Barry attended. He is not the same Marion Barry of yesteryear, but I will remind you that the last time he ran against an incumbent in Ward 8 was in 1992. The Encumbant Rolark had been in for 16 years and only got 29 percent of the vote. Barry got 70 percent. Some feel that all he has to do is put his name on the ballot and that assures him victory. He has only lost one election in D.C. and never has he lost a Democratic primary. Don't count him out.

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Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: Do you get the feeling that most citizens and politicians in the district have given up on the idea of representation in Congress? I don't hear leaders talking much about this, and even Democrats in the House and Senate don't seem to care. As long as one party benefits from giving D.C. representation, the other party will fight like hell to prevent it. Do you see any reason for optimism in D.C., even in the long-term?

Mark Plotkin: Tom Davis, the Republican Congressman from Northern Virginia, has introduced a bill that provides for representation for D.C. in the House but not for the Senate. Congresswoman Norton - or Delegate Norton - has not taken a position on this bill. Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader in the House, is against the bill because it would provide for Utah getting an additional House seat and the possible redistricting out of Congressman Matheson, a Democrat. John Kerry I asked his position this spring on the issue, and he told me that he was against the Davis bill as well for the same reason. Now the D.C. city council has voted unanimously to advocate for this bill as a way-station for the ultimate goal of full congressional representation and ultimately statehood. I am in favor of this approach and don't understand why Norton is not taking a position. Her responsibility should be the citizens of D.C., not the good wishes of the Democratic Party leadership. The issue of voting representation for the residents of the Nation's Capital needs to be elevated, debated and voted upon. The Davis proposal is a good first step.

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Bethesda, Md.: Hey Mark,

Please, help me get this straight: the Illinois GOP goes looking halfway across the country for a viable Senate candidate, and they come up with -- Alan Keyes? Alan Keyes? There wasn't a single credible black (or any other minority, if it matters that much) Republican in the entire state of Illinois? Even Dennie Hastert is distancing himself from the Keyes choice. So what was the state party looking for? National stature? From a four-time loser who couldn't even keep a conservative talk-radio show on the air? A face-saving speed bump to throw in Obama's road to Washington? Wouldn't they have been better off with a legitimate albeit little-known Illinoisan, like the woman from the DEA, or even leaving Jack Ryan's name on the ballot?
Hope you can make sense of it! Thanks!

Mark Plotkin: the Republican Party in Illinois is in total meltdown. They don't have one statewide elected official and they couldn't find not one of their own to run for the U.S. Senate. Keyes will run anywhere to get attention. That is his right but he will get clobbered by Barak Obama. Just a little convention note on Obama - the day after his blockbuster speech he was talking on his cell phone and I yelled out "Obama, you've peaked." He didn't think it was funny. He needs to lighten up.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Why doesn't DC field an Olympics team? Look at what's happened -- Puerto Rico, a US territory, defeated the US basketball team. Americans are competing against Guam and American Samoa -- except we're all the same, all Americans. Why isn't this a bigger deal? DC needs an Olympic team with jerseys that state 'no taxation without representation.' Someone call Abe Pollin and tell him this'd be a better use of his coin than another low-rent season with the Wizards.

Mark Plotkin: Yes, I have heard that idea before and I think it is a great idea. We have four years to plan. If Puerto Rico can do it why shouldn't D.C.? Anything that irritates the powers that be and argues against the perpetuation of the status quo I am for.

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Alexandria, Va.: Alexandria Congressman Jim Moran's campaign manager Dan Lucas left the Moran campaign last week.

Did he quit or was he fired?

Why did he leave?

Mark Plotkin: Thanks for the tip. You know more than I do. I'll look into it. I did get a call from a Republican operative in Northern Virginia that said that he had in his position a poll that showed Moran in trouble. I can't believe it. The District is drawn so that a Democratic incumbent is ensured reelection. I remind you that only four incumbents last year in the U.S. House lost and in addition Moran already faced his tough fight in the primary with Andy Rosenberg getting 40 percent of the vote.

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Washington, D.C.: As Kwame Brown keeps picking up endorsements, do you think he has a chance?

Will there be an at-large debate before the primary/election?

Mark Plotkin: People tell me Kwame Brown is gaining strength. He benefits from the fact that there is growing dissatisfaction with Harold Brazil, the incumbent, in predominantly African American wards. And in wards 2 and 4 Brazil supporters might not come out because there is no primary opposition to Jack Evans and Adrian Fenty and white voters who live in wards 1, 3 and 6 are less likely to come out because their council members are not up for reelection. Brazil has plenty of money but that is not everything. Sam Brooks is running an energetic campaign and could cut into Brazil's support among white voters, so the scenario could be that if Brown does well in the black community and Brooks brings out white voters, Brazil is left without a constituency.

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Centreville, Va.: Hello,

President Bush's campaign seems to obsessively control the attendance at his campaign appearances. Do you think this is a viable approach to ensure that his base does not stay home in November? After all, it would seem his base is rather finite, and he would do well to appeal to the undecideds, but I don't see how he can do that without being more inclusive at his campaign events.

Mark Plotkin: President Bush seems to have quite a few invitation only town hall meetings. This is a way to make sure the audience he faces is friendly and supportive. If he continues to do these in great number some will rightly say that he can't draw a crowd. That would hurt and would demonstrate that maybe his campaign is in trouble. He does draw crowds in predictable places where the Republican Party is strong.

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Washington, D.C.: The FBI Flags only have three stripes. They are obviously not real flags, but only portions of a flag. So why so upset at the 48 stars?

washingtonpost.com: NAMES & FACES (Post, Aug. 7)

Mark Plotkin: I guess you are referring to my pointing out the fact a week back that the flag on the front entrance of the FBI Building on Pennsylvania Ave. had only 48 stars. I said at the time that I knew that the nation's capital excluded D.C. but I didn't know until now that they also extended that to Hawaii and Alaska. The FBI has put up a Web site explaining that this flag is part of an historic display. That is their rebuttal. You make your own judgment.

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Washington, No State: Mark,

Someone in theMail has questioned whether Kwame Brown has ever voted in a D.C. election -- has he?

P.S. -- could you get your friends at the Post to at least change the 'Enter your City and State' in the question submission form -- one of the the examples of 'City, State' is 'Washington, D.C.' !

Mark Plotkin: This has been a good week for tips. Keep em coming. You can also always call me. I like verbal communication at (202) 895-5281. That is my direct dial number. I will check the Kwame Brown voting history today and tell you about it next time.

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Washington, D.C.: On my way up Wisconsin Ave, I've seen tons of signs saying "Re-elect Ray Browne for U.S. Rep." Um, isn't D.C.'s U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton? I fee like such an uneducated voter!

Mark Plotkin: There are three positions that D.C. citizens know very little about. The 1980 initiative providing for D.C. statehood included in it the elected role for three people to be statehood senators and one representative. Their names appear on the ballot but they are not paid. Ray Browne has done an excellent job of advocating for D.C. voting rights and statehood. That is why you see his name on the Sept. 14 Democratic primary ballot. Jesse Jackson was the statehood senator for a time. Something he never seems to remember or mention.

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Mclean, Va.: I am wondering, does VP Cheney ever coordinate his remarks with the campaign staff? He looked pretty silly beating down Kerry about his "sensative" remarks only to hear Bush use the same language. The late night comics certainly did not waste time.

Mark Plotkin: Vice President Cheney does not I believe have to coordinate his remarks with the Bush Campaign. He is pretty much on his own and he can say things in a more emphatic way than President Bush.

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Washington, D.C.: Is it true that neither Bush nor Chenney will be at the GOP Convention? I heard that Bush will be speaking to the Convention go-ers via satellite. Wouldn't this show that he's too afraid to show up because of terrorists or have to face largely anti-Bush crowds outside the venue?

Mark Plotkin: I have heard absolutely nothing about Bush not attending his own Republican convention or for that matter Cheney. That would be disastrous for the ticket if they did not attend in person to accept their respective nominations. It would say that security could not even be provided for the President or the Vice President of the United States.

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Washington, D.C.: For a guy who doesn't use email, cell phones, etc., how on earth do you survive hosting a weekly Web chat? Isn't this a little hypocritical, Mr. Plotkin?!

Mark Plotkin: Who is this? Identify yourself! But you have a point. The Washington Post through the good offices and infinite patience and skill of one Meredith Bragg facilitates this engaging exercise. Doug Fever is the one ultimately responsible for inflicting me on you, but I do know what I am talking about and if it bothers you that much stop logging in. Yes I am a bit of a Luddite - no I am a real Luddite. In fact Jim Farley, Vice President of News and Programming at WTOP suspects I might be Amish.

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Capitol Hill, Washngton, D.C.: Do you think Hurricane Charley will have any impact on Florida's voting come November? Face time from W. and Jeb, Fed aid, etc. Will they have any impact? The last Quinnipiac Poll had Kerry up 7 points before the Hurricane.

Mark Plotkin: I think by Nov. 2, the day of the election, Hurricane Charley will be forgotten - except of course by the people who have suffered through it. President Bush did himself some good by going down there and showing his personal concern. If the federal government doesn't do a good job at providing relief than it could have an impact, but I think they will go overboard to make sure that doesn't happen.

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Greenbelt, Md.: Looks like the RNC is going to be a lot of fun, a lot like Chicago '68 in fact.

Any rumblings out there that a new (fake) terror alert will be issued right before it starts? Given what we've seen lately, it seems really likely that NYC will be under martial law by the end of the month, and all civil liberties suspended during the convention.

Mark Plotkin: When I was in Boston the amount of protesters was almost negligible and had no impact. I think the numbers will be much greater in New York City and will have some impact. There is a fascinating interview in New York Magazine this week with Norman Mailer on the upcoming convention and comparison to Chicago in '68. I recommend you read it.

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Washington, D.C.: Is Mark for Major League Baseball in Washington and the full funding of a stadium by the city government?

Mark Plotkin: I am for baseball in D.C. as long as the team is not called the Senators. I have expressed this opinion before and the mayor has told me that he has expressed his own personal sentiment that there would be controversy if the team is called that. He said he relayed this message to the highest levels of baseball, but once again they are going to postpone a decision about where to put the Montreal Expos. Peter Angelos is in Greece and they don't want to offend his sensibilities while he is away. I believe that they will just pay him off when the time comes to award a franchise in either D.C. or Northern Virginia.

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Arlington, Va.: Man, that's awful. Just think if some of these companies (that can afford to pay taxes or whatever special agreement they have) would actually pay what they owe, perhaps that money could be used to improve SW, Ward 8, or heaven forbid -- the Metro system!

Mark Plotkin: The Washington Post about 10 years back with David Vise writing the story outlined the outrageous break that Fannie Mae gets. They come back by saying "we pay local property taxes." That is a measly $2 million a year. The local corporate income tax obligation has been computed to about $320 million a year. It is corporate robbery. Clear and simple.

I'll be talking to you next time from the Republican National Convention for some reason unbeknownst to me I was not granted this privilege at the Democratic National Convention. See you in New York.

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