Former Gun Lobbyist Says NRA Aims Mostly for Money

The NRA so far has ignored the book. Spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said, "We don't comment on works of fiction."

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But the group will have a hard time parrying Feldman's central attack -- that the NRA is actually thrilled to have its adversaries in power because that is what keeps the money spigot open. After the Democrats' sweep of congressional elections last year, Feldman writes, "The National Rifle Association had enemies again, clearly delineated opponents in the endless struggle . . . and as always, it was better to fight than win."

NARAL's Guide to Congress

NARAL Pro-Choice America, a leading voice for abortion rights, may need a little refresher course on how a bill becomes a law.

Its president, Nancy Keenan, recently sent out an urgent e-mail solicitation for donations, highlighting an upcoming hearing at the House Foreign Affairs Committee that would deal with abortion information distributed abroad. She listed five GOP lawmakers who she said were members of the committee and opposed her organization's position.

"Make your contribution right now," she wrote. NARAL would then send "a moral compass" to the offending lawmakers.

Trouble is that none of the lawmakers are on the committee. They are, however, on every list of Republicans considered vulnerable in next year's election. They included Rep. John T. Doolittle (Calif.) and Sens. Norm Coleman (Minn.) and John E. Sununu (N.H.).

A NARAL spokesman admitted that the e-mail was in error. Ted Miller said it should have read "members of Congress," not "members of the committee."

Maybe the donation page should be changed as well. The Web site to which the e-mail directs would-be donors contains the following disclaimer: "No funds will be earmarked or reserved for any political purpose." None, you say?

Hire of the Week

Nothing in Washington is easy. Take the simple act of naming what someone does for a living. Chris Kelley Cimko, for instance, is the new head of public affairs at Dittus Communications, in charge of a dozen people.

But what exactly is public affairs? "I want to give you the right definition," she said. "But I'm not sure there is a definition."

There are a few things that public affairs apparently is not. It is not media relations, which entails contacting the press. It's not government relations or government affairs, which are fancy terms for access lobbying. And it's not public relations either, though that seems pretty close.

Robert A. Tappan, the former president of D.C. operations for Burson-Marsteller who now directs Weber Merritt's public affairs practice, said public affairs is "communications and other advocacy tools that intersect with government relations."

Cimko puts it differently: "My sense is that it's communications-related activities that create an awareness and an environment that make it possible for elected officials and other decision makers to be aware of issues and choices."

Huh?

Maybe you, dear reader, can lend a hand. Please send your favorite definition of public affairs -- serious or otherwise -- to kstreet@washpost.com. I'll air a few of them next week.