THE WEEK
An insider's guide to the upcoming week
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Meet and Greet
How soon is too soon to launch the Veepstakes? Or to engage in extremely premature speculation about a Clinton-McCain general election matchup?
At the National Governors Association's winter meeting, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who backs Sen. John McCain, and Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell, who backs Sen. Hillary Clinton, will be speaking Saturday morning about "securing a clean energy future." (They'll be joined by Jeffrey Immelt, chief executive of General Electric.)
Several power company executives are scheduled to address the governors; Pawlenty, this year's association chairman, announced clean energy as his main initiative in the post. But others may focus on the kind of energy Pawlenty generates. The governor is frequently mentioned as a potential running mate for McCain. Pawlenty has long said he supports the senator's presidential campaign, and he stumped for McCain in Florida and Illinois, among other places.
On the Democratic side, the governors' get-together will come at the end of a week with two more state votes and a growing fight over unpledged superdelegates. Uncommitted Democratic governors may find themselves fitting in meetings with candidates or their surrogates between sessions.
The Big 2-7-6: Last year, President Bush commemorated the 275th birthday of the man he called the "first George W." with a trip to Mount Vernon and a speech on Washington's service and legacy.
This Presidents' Day, Bush will be far from the first president's home. He will be in Arusha, Tanzania, discussing a malaria initiative and visiting a hospital, textile mill and school as part of his tour of African nations. The rest of Bush's week includes travel to Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia and meetings with leaders in each country.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is also traveling this week. She will be in strife-torn Kenya today to meet with former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan, who is participating in negotiations between the nation's rival parties.
The House is on recess this week, and the Senate will stick with its new recess strategy: holding pro forma sessions tomorrow and Friday. As in December, the Senate will not technically be in recess, so the president cannot make recess appointments, which bypass the confirmation process. Earlier this month, Bush urged the Senate to confirm more than 180 judicial and agency nominees -- by the White House tally -- whose appointments are pending.
By Rachel Dry
