Congress Phat-tens Up
If you see new members of Congress wandering the halls in brand-new sneakers, tell 'em you like their "Phat Farms," or "Baby Phats" (for women), as the case may be.
The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding held an Ethnic Congressional Members reception Wednesday morning in the Rayburn Building and rubbed shoulders with five of the new members -- Dem brothers Sen. Ken Salazar and Rep. John Salazar of Colorado, as well as Reps. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.), AlGreen (D-Tex.) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.). Oh, also popping in were MPAA President Dan Glickman and Ambassadors Daniel Ayalon (Israel) and Jose Octavio Bordon (Argentina).
Outgoing Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe, left, shared a table with Howard Dean, the leading candidate to succeed him, at Cafe Milano.
(Joe Marquette -- AP)
|
|
So where'd they get the shoes? Thanks be to Russell Simmons, who among his many activities (hip-hop mogul, founder of Phat Farm fashions) is also the foundation's chairman. He couldn't make it to the reception, so he threw in some comfy footwear, because, as they say, as soon as you arrive in Congress you start running for office.
But it seems cowboy-boots-sportin' John Salazar is leaving his sneaks in the office. He told the crowd: "I could never let my constituents see me in hip-hop sneakers!"
Chewing the Fat at Milano
Was this the ceremonial passing of the steak knife? Outgoing Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe was spotted with the leading candidate to replace him, Howard Dean, chomping and chatting (but thankfully not screaming) at -- surprise, surprise -- Cafe Milano on Wednesday night. (Tidbit: Though no one has ever been to Milano without running into McAuliffe, Dean apparently invited him and picked up the tab.)
A fellow Milanoer walked up to the table and congratulated Dean about the DNC gig. "Don't congratulate me yet," Dean protested, waving the remark off with a smile, before McAuliffe burst in: "You should be congratulating me!"
Later, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) waltzed in with Bush supporter Ron Silver for a late dinner. Please, people. Doesn't Washington have more than one restaurant?
Cold Grounds John Snow
Poor Treasury Secretary John Snow. He has a code in his node and couldn't go to the Group of Seven meeting of top economic policymakers that gets underway today in London. Treasury announced yesterday that since Snow is suffering from a "bad chest cold," he'll have to skip the gathering.
But what a trouper that Snow is! He managed to show up at the State of the Union speech Wednesday, and appeared on five TV interviews yesterday morning to tout the administration's Social Security plan. Unfortunately, he'll miss the G-7's discussion of such scintillating topics as the U.S. trade deficit. Not to worry, though: John Taylor, undersecretary for international affairs, will fill in.
"When I saw him this morning, he had a chest cold that was getting worse, not better," spokesman Robert Nichols told us. "Rather than cross the Atlantic for 7 1/2 hours for a meeting that lasts 36 hours, he decided not to go."
End Notes
An awe-inspiring moment from the State of the Union address: About 18 minutes into it, President Bush actually pronounced "nuclear" properly! . . . Tony Snow got an unexpected response from Veep Cheney in an interview on his Fox News Radio show yesterday. About the State of the Union address, Snow asked his Veepness: "I just want you to see if you think this is an accurate representation of the Democratic response," and played the sound of a woman screaming. Then -- Cheney laughed! "Is that Howard Dean?" he quipped. . . . And Fox News's Geraldo Rivera says that if Michael Jackson is convicted of child molestation, he'll shave off his trademark mustache. Yes, shave it. "Having investigated the facts and circumstances leading up to his indictment and everything that's happened since, I'm absolutely convinced that he is being framed," Rivera righteously declared to "Access Hollywood." You know, nothing says dedication like facial hair removal.
-- Compiled by
Anne Schroeder from staff and wire reports
