Roundtable Setup Left Some Republicans Feeling Like Squares

By Lois Romano
Thursday, January 25, 2007

In case you were wondering how the Republicans were adjusting to their new minority status, consider this painful story.

Democratic Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, the new chairman of the House Transportation Committee, wanted to show members of his panel how bipartisanship and policymaking can work in tandem. So the chairman, along with ranking Republican John Mica (Fla.), organized a roundtable discussion for members last week. And to drive home the point, Oberstar invited back Bud Shuster (R-Pa.), the retired Republican chairman of the committee.

It seemed like a great idea until Mica arrived for the roundtable and discovered that he did not have one of the nice, cushy chairs at the head of the table that were occupied by Oberstar, Shuster and other speakers, including New York financier Felix Rohatyn.

According to sources, none of whom wanted to be anywhere near this story, Mica threw a fit and demanded to know from staff why he didn't have a special chair of his own next to Oberstar and the others.

But before staff could rectify the situation, and as startled members looked on, a furious Mica stormed out of the room and ordered the other Republican members to leave. Among the uncomfortable departees was Shuster's own son and successor, Rep. Bill Shuster.

A source close to Mica acknowledged last night that the congressman was "very upset" because he "wants to be sure members of the minority are treated with the respect."

But after hearing from Oberstar later, the source said, Mica knows the slight was unintentional, and there are no hard feelings.

Note to other Republicans: Bring your slights to us. We'll help you air them.

Meanwhile, on the Other Side of the Aisle . . .

After years of tension between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) , the two appear to be getting along much better these days, or so report the staff and allies of the Democratic leadership.

They say the tension and mistrust that long existed between the two native Marylanders is no longer evident.

She no longer seems to be keeping him in the dark on insider maneuvering, and he no longer feels as if he's being kept out of the loop.

"They both realized that they have to get along to succeed," said a former leadership aide who knows them well.

Take Hoyer's meeting on Tuesday with committee chairmen, a weekly event chaired by Hoyer that at one time no one could have imagined Pelosi relinquishing. According to one source at the meeting, Hoyer unequivocally defended Pelosi's decision to create a select committee on global warming, beating back complaints from unhappy chairmen concerned about turf.

But Pelosi is the one who has made the more significant turnaround, Hill sources say.

For reasons that are still unclear to many Democrats, Pelosi kept Hoyer at a distance as her No. 2 when they were in the minority. But members thought the partnership nonetheless worked well and were shocked when she aggressively supported Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) for majority leader.

After Hoyer trounced her guy, and after she was elected speaker, observers say her attitude toward Hoyer changed. Most unexpectedly, Pelosi was comfortable sharing power with him, giving him voice in committee assignments and full rein on the floor schedule.

"What you're seeing," said someone close to her, "is Nancy coming into her own. She more confident, more relaxed. She doesn't think he's submarining her anymore." Stay tuned.

Some Days It's Just Not Worth Going to Work

Freshman Democratic Rep. Steve Kagen of Wisconsin seems to have gotten off to a rocky start back home, not fully comprehending how his every utterance is now news.

His problems started when the allergist-turned- legislator jokingly told some local antiwar activists last month that he aggressively confronted Karl Rove in a White House men's room. "You're in the White House and think you're safe, huh?" Kagen told the activists, according to a report in a monthly alternative publication.

"You recognize me? My name's Dr. Multimillionaire, and I kicked your [expletive]."

Kagen also said that he blocked Rove's exit in the bathroom of the White House and then deliberately called Laura Bush "Barbara" to insult her.

By the time the odd remarks were picked up by the mainstream media, they were reported as fact -- along with a White House response calling Kagen's account "ridiculous."

Confronted at a news conference about the remarks, Kagen awkwardly backed away from them, saying he was "thrilled" to meet the president and first lady and never insulted anybody. But he declined to clarify what did happen, and the brouhaha wouldn't die as the media continued to chronicle Kagen's various versions of his White House excursion.

The furor was finally quelled when the congressman wrote an op-ed piece published Sunday in several home-state papers. "I apologize for handling this situation as I did. I allowed this distraction to get out of hand and divert our attention from the critically important work we are doing," he said. "My mishandled attempt at humor wasn't delivered or received well. It won't happen again."

Asked whether the lawmaker understands now the danger of exaggerating in politics -- even in jest -- an adviser to Kagen said: "One would hope."

Thank You, Mr. President

Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) watched Tuesday's State of the Union address from his room at George Washington University Hospital and was touched that President Bush acknowledged him, a spokeswoman for the senator said. Johnson has been in the hospital since Dec. 14, when he underwent brain surgery, and his recovery has been slow.

The senator was transferred from intensive care to a rehabilitation unit at the hospital two weeks ago, and he is starting to talk.

"It is not a conversation yet, but it's progress," said Julieanne Fisher, the spokeswoman. "He is saying words, and he understands."

A statement on his Web site says "he has been working with parallel bars and participating in speech therapy, including naming objects." He also ate a hamburger.

In his speech, Bush also singled out Republican Rep. Charles Norwood of Georgia, who is being treated for a recurrence of cancer that has developed near his kidney.

"Two members of the House and Senate are not with us tonight," the president said, "and we pray for [their] recovery and speedy return."

Norwood's staff said he was "thrilled" by the president's wishes. The congressman is receiving chemotherapy as an inpatient at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, spokesman John Stone said.