Post Politics Hour
washingtonpost.com's Daily Politics Discussion

Lois Romano
Washington Post National Political Reporter
Thursday, July 19, 2007 11:00 AM

Don't want to miss out on the latest in politics? Start each day with The Post Politics Hour. Join in each weekday morning at 11 a.m. as a member of The Washington Post's team of White House and Congressional reporters answers questions about the latest in buzz in Washington and The Post's coverage of political news.

Washington Post national political reporter Lois Romano was online Thursday, July 19, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the latest in political news.

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The transcript follows.

Archive: Post Politics Hour discussion transcripts

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Lois Romano: Good morning everyone -- thanks for joining us this morning. I look forward to tackling all your questions.

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Baghdad, Iraq: As a Soldier currently serving in Iraq, I obviously have a vested interest in what steps are taken in the current Iraq debate. Do you see any movement on the issue before September? What is the likelihood that the White House will take ownership of the issue and create their own path forward?

Lois Romano: Yes, I think there is movement on several fronts. As I'm sure you know, the Democratic Congress is trying to pressure the White House into reevaluating at a minimum. A number of prominent GOP senators have broken with the president. Gen. Petraeus is due to issue a report on Sept. 15. Nothing dramatic will happen right away, but 70 percent of the public wants a change of course and so that ultimately will influence the process.

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Floris, Va.: Lois: First, on behalf of all chatters, best wishes to your colleague, Lyndsey Layton on her impending bundle of joy! Here's a broad question I've always wondered about ... it's almost a given that if the Democrats take control of the White House, taxes -- at least for the very rich -- will be raised. So why are so many wealthy people -- from Warren Buffett at the top to Hollywood moguls and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and even Wall Street types like Robert Rubin, for example -- Democrats?

Lois Romano: The people you mention are more liberal on the social issues, and must feel overall that Democrats will take the country in a better direction. Hollywood types long have favored Democrats because of the party's position on abortion, gay rights etc.

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Fairfax, Va.: Can you explain why the Democrats -- when in the minority -- refused to use their filibuster weapon to stop Alito and Roberts from getting on the Court, while the Republicans seem to have no problem with using filibuster tactics to prevent a vote on beginning to end our Iraq occupation? I know Lieberman played a big role in undermining his party, but he wasn't the only one who refused to stand up and fight.

Lois Romano: The Supreme Court nomination process is historically a more collegial process. Up until recent history, there wasn't much opposition from the minority party -- it was respected that the majority got to pick. In the cases of both those men, they clearly were qualified jurists, even if their views were deemed conservative.

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Dryden, N.Y.: Thanks for these wonderful chats. I assume you live in Washington and spend most of your work life covering politics from there. In my part of the country (rural upstate New York) there seems almost universal opposition to the war from both Republicans and Democrats. We want Congress to be debating this all the time until they stop the madness and force a political solution. Why is it so hard for Congress to bow to the sentiment of the American people? Will we have to grab our pitchforks, get on our tractors and drive to Washington?

Lois Romano: It's a complex dynamic. Yes, 70 percent of the overall public is against the war, but the GOP hardcore base largely supports the Republicans in Congress and the president. It's hard for the Congress to do anything because Democrats have a narrow majority and can't pick up enough GOP support to make a change. In addition, among the Democrats are members from very conservative districts who view a vote against the war as a vote of non-support for the military. They want the generals on the ground to make the call that things need to change.

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Anonymous: I applaud Reid's announcement that (paraphrasing) "beginning today, nothing is going anywhere until the Republicans go back to normal math." While critics say that gives Bush the till-September waiver he wants, reality is that he was going to get it anyway thanks to the 60-plus rule. Am I reading too much into this, in terms of whether it really will cause the Republicans to rethink their stance (on the math)? And given that everyone was going to be gone for August anyway, what (if anything) actually will be blocked thanks to Reid's decision?

Lois Romano: Basically Reid postponed dealing with the war until Gen. Petraeus issues his report on the status of the war, which is due Sept. 15. He didn't have the votes, and he was not getting anything done. The report will give Democrats a new impetus to try again.

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Boise, Idaho: I enjoy your appearances on MSNBC! Why do you believe Fred Thompson is waiting so long to formally announce? Do you really think it's only to delay his requirement to release fundraising data, or do you think it's something more? (Preparation for issues that already are arising, perhaps?) Thank you for taking my question!

Lois Romano: As long as he waits, he is not under intense scrutiny on any fronts -- including the money. Waiting buys him time to raise money, put an organization in place -- and still remain high-profile. Everyone is paying attention -- but he doesn't have to deal with a lot of the demands of being an official presidential candidate.

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Dryden, N.Y. (Again): I agree. This is probably why Mike Arcuri is representing our fairly conservative district instead of the Republican who ran against him to take Sherry Boehlert's seat. That's why we might need the pitchforks.

Lois Romano: Go for it!

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New York: You said the with respect to Supreme Court nominations that historically "it was a respected that the majority got to pick." But in 1968 Republicans successfully filibustered when President Johnson nominated Abe Fortas for Chief Justice, so that has not always been true.

Lois Romano: Abe Fortas served on the Court from 1965 to 1969, when he was forced to resigned because he accepted $20,000 from a Wall Street financier under murky circumstances. The first real challenge to a nominee for ideological reasons occurred in the late '80s when the Democrats derailed Robert Bork.

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Alexandria, Va.: Lois, could you please explain this "60-plus" rule? I can't find it in the Constitution anywhere.

Lois Romano: It's in the federal rules of civil procedure -- that's all I know. I'm not a lawyer.

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Washington: Was Sen. Vitter on the hill last night for the debate? What has been the response of his colleagues to his recent troubles? Have the media stopped camping out for this story?

washingtonpost.com: Long Night Over, Withdrawal Measure Falls Short (see last item) (washingtonpost.com, July 18)

Lois Romano: I don't know how Vitter is being received by his colleagues to his face -- but his admission is certainly a source of much conversation in the halls of Congress. Reporters are still stalking him and will be for awhile. While he has apologized for the D.C. incident, he hasn't directly addressed the reports of his similar behavior in Louisiana.

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Indianapolis: What are the odds that in 2008 the Democrats will get the 60 Senate seat required to get anything done?

Lois Romano: If the election were held today, I'd say their odds were good. The presidential election as well as congressional elections essentially re decided by only 15 percent of the population -- "swing voters," who are generally moderates or independents. Today these voters lean toward Democrats, largely because of the war.

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New York: With regard to Abe Fortas, it's true that he had to resign because of the $20,000, but what does that have to do with the filibuster of his nomination to Chief Justice? That happened after his nomination was long dead. The fact remains that Republicans and some conservative southern Democrats filibustered him because he was too liberal for them.

Lois Romano: My only point was that his appointment to the court was not blocked.

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New York: Why has Bill Richardson's big rise been so underplayed and under-covered? The guy just passed Edwards in New Hampshire according to one poll and is nearing or at double-digits in Iowa too. By that measure he is clearly first-tier, though the media doesn't cover him as such for some reason.

washingtonpost.com: Richardson Collected $7 Million in 2nd Quarter (Post, July 15)

Lois Romano: That is a very good question. I suspect that everyone follows the money and I don't think his fundraising as been as stout as Edwards's. There is certainly speculation that he may move comfortably into third place because he is a fresh face, in the sense that national voters don't know all that much about him. His ads have been very clever.

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60-plus rule: The so-called "filibuster rule" is from the Standing Rules of the United States Senate (which are in fact authorized by Articles 1 and 5 of the Constriction: "Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings...") not the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Lois Romano: There is a 60 rule in the federal code as well -- but clearly our guest meant Congress. Thank you for answering that for the guest.

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Anonymous: It seems to me wives (and in one case the husband) of candidates are out and about unusually early in the process -- I'm thinking Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Obama. What accounts for this ?

Lois Romano: These are very dynamic wives, educated career women, who are close advisers to their husbands and who have been full partners in their careers.

If they weren't front-and-center in today's culture, people would wonder why not.

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London: Re: Wealthy Democrats -- sure, social issues play a role, but you overlook the fact that some wealthy people actually believe it's only fair for them to be taxed at a higher rate than they currently are. After all, they benefit most from the stock market and corporate tax breaks/shelters, and they may in fact think the country would be better off with more economic equality. (Bill Clinton makes this point a lot.) Why is the assumption always that all the rich don't care about the poor?

Lois Romano: Well said. Thanks.

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North Haven, Conn.: Chris Dodd recently said that he didn't want to be considered for vice president, which is reasonable enough -- except he continued saying that Cheney ruined the office. One would think that if anything, Cheney -- and even Gore before him -- significantly expanded the powers of the vice president. What's your take?

washingtonpost.com: Dodd Says He Would Decline To Run For Vice President If Offered Job (AP, July 18)

Lois Romano: I assume he wasn't referring to the expanded, substantive role -- but to the secrecy Cheney brought to the job.

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Washington: Lois, Nice article on Sen. Warner. Many say he's retiring and just waiting until September to give Rep. Davis some time to fundraise. Your article does seem like a bit of a valedictory -- when I see articles that sum up a career, it's usually because the subject is retiring. Did you get that impression?

washingtonpost.com: Iraq Now, the Garden Later. But What In Between? (Post, July 19)

Lois Romano: I have no way of knowing, but it does seem as though he's heading that way. He's 80 years old and has had a very good career. Should he retire, he would be invited to stay in the process through commissions and boards, etc. He may just be holding off announcing because he doesn't want to seem to be a lame duck ... he still has power if people think he's coming back.

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Lois Romano: Well, it's time to close. Thank you all for joining -- it was a very lively discussion! See you in two weeks. Lois Romano

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