Lois Romano (Julia Ewan - The Washington Post)

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Washington Post National political reporter Lois Romano was online Thursday, Feb. 1, at 11:00 a.m. ET to discuss the latest in political news.

An O'Neill Again Runs the House, but This One Works Backstage (Post, Feb. 1)

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A transcript follows.

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Lois Romano: Good morning. Thank you for joining us this morning. Lets get started!

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Minneapolis: Hi Lois -- I know this will probably come a lot in your questions, but Joe Biden has to be one of the most maddening politicians of all time (or at least in recent history). I really admire his strength and resolve, and then he goes and says something stupid. Is this latest flap over Obama going to be a deal-breaker for him, or can he get past it? Or is the possibility that he could get the nomination so remote that it doesn't matter?

Lois Romano: I don't think this remark in and of itself is a deal-breaker -- but it does remind people that he tends to talk too much at times. No one who knows Biden ever could think of him as a racist but he needs to do a better job filtering himself. As far as the nomination goes, it's a long shot. All of the second-tier candidates are hoping that a little window can open for them -- and that their message will pick up -- but most of these candidates do not have the money it takes to run a mega-campaign.

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Tulsa, Okla.: It appears that Brownback and Huckabee will be appealing to the same constituency. Which do you think can differentiate himself the best and why?

Lois Romano: Good Morning Tulsa! I love Tulsa -- we just moved back to Washington after ten years there and I so miss it.

Huckabee and Brownback will have a hard time distinguishing themselves. Both got into the race because of a feeling that the conservative right is not taken with McCain and question his conservative credentials. Both men hope they attract the base as Bush did. Your former governor Frank Keating also entertained the race for the same reason. The one thing Brownback has going for him now is that he has a platform to be heard as a current senator.

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Bethesda, Md.: Could you please take a moment to memorialize the late, great Molly Ivins? I never had heard of her until a friend gifted me with her first book, "Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?" and then I was hooked. Friends knew they didn't have to buy future books because I would buy them by the dozen to give as Christmas and birthday gifts, depending when they were published. I kept her column bookmarked and it was the first thing I place I checked each morning when I turned on the computer. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is going to miss her terribly.

washingtonpost.com: Discussion: Remembering Molly Ivins (Post, Feb. 1 at noon ET)

Lois Romano: Molly Ivins was one of kind -- gutsy, funny and an unabashed liberal. Even if you disagreed with her politically, there was no denying her talent. Please note that we are doing a noon chat devoted to her and her career.

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Washington: Lois, you seem to be clean and articulate. Are you going to run for president?

Lois Romano: Now now.

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Fort Washington, Md.: I have a long-held confusion about Cheney and Libby's tactics in this Plame affair. Why did they pursue outing Plame as a defense against Wilson's article? Why not challenge the facts of Wilson's piece? What did they have to gain from their approach? It seems they could have avoided all this trouble by simply attacking the facts instead of his wife. Makes me think they knew all along that their case for this war was weak.

Lois Romano: Good question -- and one of life's great mysteries. I think their goal was to discredit Wilson as a source because his wife sent him on the trip. You're right to say it would have been easier to just discredit Wilson's opinions -- but they clearly were getting personal.

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Reston, Va.: Joe Biden called Barack Obama the first articulate and clean black guy to run for president. Where is the political outrage about this? If Trent Lott or George Allen had said this, I think The Washington Post would be gearing up hundreds of negative stories. Your thoughts?

washingtonpost.com: Biden Stumbles at the Starting Gate (Post, Feb. 1)

Lois Romano: I can see it both ways. But in the context, Biden did seem to be making a larger and complimentary point. He clearly was praising Obama. Perhaps it would have better to say "first seriously viable" African-American candidate--instead of first "articulate." As far as "clean" goes I didn't read it the way its been interpreted. I thought he was saying "scandal free" or fresh etc.

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Balz Article on Biden: What is The Washington Post's policy on quotes? Dan Balz's article inserted "(presidential candidate)" in Biden's quote about Obama. "In the interview, Biden described Obama as 'the first mainstream African American (presidential candidate) who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man.' "

Is this giving the benefit of the doubt? In every other media's report there was no such modification. What's the deal? And I have no doubt that if Biden were a Republican, Jackson and Sharpton and the media would be tearing him apart.

Lois Romano: We will add a phrase like that to be as accurate as possible in reporting. The original article made it very clear Biden was talking about Obama running for president. But in using the quote, we felt it needed to be clarified since we were not publishing the whole article.

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Durham, N.C.: Senator Biden seems to be taking heat for his comments about Barack Obama. People are focusing on his "clean" statement, but it is his "articulate" word choice that insults me the most. President Bush said the same thing about Senator Obama on Fox. Why aren't both being grilled about a statement that suggests that Black Americans are unintelligent and inept at speaking properly? When was the last time "articulate" was used as an attribute for a white politician?

Lois Romano: I agree. I think "articulate" is the more troubling word -- but only if you look at it in a racial context. If I called Hillary Clinton articulate in a story no one would have noticed. I think Biden was simply referring to Obama's gifted communication skills -- a plus for any pol.

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Southwest Nebraska: Biden went on the Daily Show last night -- the same day he announced his candidacy. How important is the Daily Show venue becoming? Jon Stewart did a good job of gently skewering him -- kind of reminded me of Leno's remark to Hugh Grant -- "what were you thinking?"

Lois Romano: These shows are becoming increasingly important to reach a wider, targeted audience. Hillary Clinton did a good job on "The View" in December -- clearly targeting women. It's also a way to get free advertising and show a candidate's funny, human side.

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Richmond, Va.: In all seriousness, what good is the bipartisan resolution against the troop build up? Isn't it just a "feel-good" piece that will have no impact on Bush, and will have about a two-day shelf life? In short, what is the point?

Lois Romano: Many are making your argument. In part, the point is to show the public that the president stands alone on this issue. It's a first step to begin the political process of shutting down funding for the war.

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Atlanta: Good morning -- I've read that some 20-or-so Republican Senators will be up for re-election in 2008. If Iraq still is an important issue, will the Democrats have a good opportunity to increase their majority? Will many of the Republican Senators be vulnerable?

Lois Romano: A lot will depend on where this war is, how the Democrats lead, and who the presidential nominee is. If the election were today, Democrats would be in good shape.

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New York: Have you heard anything about Newt entering the race? If not, is it only Mitt, Rudy, and McCain on the red team?

Lois Romano: The last I heard Newt Gingrich was not entering the race. So we have McCain, Rudy, Brownback, Romney, Duncan Hunter, Huckabee ... I'm sure I'm leaving someone out ... [ed.: the Toms -- Tancredo and Thompson -- ex-Gov. Jim Gilmore of Virginia and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas].

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Columbus, Ohio: An important historical trend seems to be overlooked amidst the debate over troop deployments in Iraq. Over the past several decades the U.S. has stationed troops in more than 100 countries around the world, and in almost all cases they have remained indefinitely. For example, World War II was won more than 60 years ago but we still have thousands of troops stationed throughout Europe and Asia -- we didn't exactly "win and go home." So despite all the rhetoric and as much as I hate this war I think we're doomed to be in Iraq for generations, too. Does anyone in Washington acknowledge this likelihood, even privately?

Lois Romano: Yes, everyone does acknowledge that. But the difference is being there as a peacekeeping force and being there as a full participant in a war.

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Washington: Do you think Biden's comments could in an odd way end up helping Obama? Last week there seemed to be a significant amount of press about how many in the black community were skeptical of Obama, and throughout his time as a politician there have been grumblings about how -- because he does not have the same history as them -- Obama does not really represent the African-American community. Could Biden's comments, which are the same idiotic comments you often hear about African-Americans ("gee, he's so articulate!"), actually help Obama by way of empathy?

Lois Romano: I don't know about actually helping Obama -- but it gave the senator to chance to respond to the political story of the day. As far as his appeal to the Black community, its just too early to say where that will go. Clearly the Clintons have deep support and loyalty among African-Americans, so in essence Obama would have to pull some of that support to him -- and he will need a compelling message to do so.

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Burlington, Vt.: Hi Lois. Though it remains to be determined if the Libby trial is much ado about nothing, do you get the sense -- as do I -- that everyone involved in lying? Cheers.

Lois Romano: I don't know about "everybody" -- but there certainly seems to be a many new versions of events emerging through sworn testimony. For one, we are seeing how much more involved VP Cheney was in managing a campaign to discredit the Wilsons than originally believed. Watch for the defense case -- that should be wild!

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Vienna, Va.: For all you Obama junkies out there, he will be appearing at George Mason University tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the Johnson Center Atrium. Haven't seen any coverage of this so I figured I would put it out there.

washingtonpost.com: Barack Obama to Visit Mason for College Democrats Rally (Mason Gazette, Jan. 30)

Lois Romano: Thanks for the update!

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Richmond, Va.: It's really a shame that Biden's comments will overshadow his Iraq plan. He really does seem to know what he's talking about and is able to "articulate" specific, valid points. Unfortunately the "top-tier" candidates just seem to spout broad generalities their handlers think the public wants to hear.

Lois Romano: Sen. Biden is smart and well-informed. But he will tell you himself that he is his own worst enemy when it comes to slips of the tongue. He told Meet the Press that he was going to try to be "the best Biden I can be." He clearly has a little more work to do.

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Pittsburgh: I realize the Congress has many important things to look into -- war profiteering, politicizing intelligence and science, health care, etc. But please tell me we are going to learn more about Dusty Foggo, the Dukester and the Hooker parties at the Watergate. Yes?

Lois Romano: It was certainly a colorful scandal. I'm sure we'll hear more at some point -- but you're right to assume it's not on the front burner right now.

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Lois Romano: Thank you all for joining us today. See you in two weeks!

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