Post Politics Hour
washingtonpost.com's Daily Politics Discussion

Lois Romano
Washington Post National Political Reporter
Thursday, October 11, 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, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the latest in political news.

The transcript follows.

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Archive: Post Politics Hour discussion transcripts

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Lois Romano: Good Morning everyone. Thanks for joining us today. There's a lot going on in the news so let's hear from you!

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Saint Johns, Ariz.: Ms. Romano: Back in 1999, Al Gore commissioned an audit of the federal government. The results came out in 2000 where it was stated and was covered in the national media that the audit showed a $5 trillion surplus. Then in 2004, after four years of George Bush, Bush then states there is a $3 trillion deficit. Well, that is a difference of $8 trillion in four years. I have seen no accountability as to how there can be an $8 trillion shift in four years, or where this money was spent, moved or in essence evaporated. My question to you is, what would be the best approach to get a consolidated financial statement as to specifically what happened to the $8 trillion? I will point out up front that the overall and general financial statements of the federal government for the years 1997 to 2005, which can be downloaded here, do not determine clearly where the $8 trillion dollars went. Accountability is needed, so how do we get some in clear terms regarding this specific issue and at this time?

Lois Romano: Good morning. Good question, and I don't know the answer except the obvious -- the war is costing a fortune. As a reporter, if were seeking an analysis of spending I might start with the government watchdog groups, such as Common Cause. They have a very user-friendly Web site, and if they don't have what you're looking for they would know how to get it.

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Laurel, Md.: I thought Fred Thompson talked in the vaguest of generalities. Can he actually implement his ideas without Sam Waterston?

washingtonpost.com: Free Trade and Low Taxes Star in Republican Debate (Post, Oct. 10)

Lois Romano: Well that's the big question for Thompson -- not only whether can he implement, but can whether he can articulate. Thompson got into the race late with very high exepectations. If you follow this stuff you know he hasn't really lit any fires yet. His poll numbers are up, but there's a real question about whether he can sustain interest.

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New York: Hi, Lois. In the GOP debate earlier this week, Rudy Giuliani said: "The leading Democratic candidate once said that the unfettered free market is the most destructive force in modern America. I mean, just get an idea of where that philosophy comes from." Rudy uses this line on Hillary frequently. But as has been conclusively proven, it's an almost comically dishonest distortion of what Hillary actually said in a 1996 interview with Brian Lamb. In that interview, Hillary quoted another author saying that the unfettered free market had been radically disruptive, not destructive, and actually went on to praise free markets. My question, though, is this. If Al Gore can be painted as a serial liar and exaggerator by the media for things he didn't actually say, why has Giuliani so far gotten a pass on the lies he's actually spouting publicly?

Lois Romano: He hasn't been really challenged on every word yet. That will come. Right now, there are so many people in the race trying to get footing, and the media is trying to illuminate facts about all of them. As the field starts to winnow, you will see more and more scrutiny of what candidates say and do, and what they have done or said in the past. Hillary Clinton also has the option of challenging the statement, but strategically she needs to focus on the bigger picture and on selling herself to get the nomination. Should she find herself in a general election against Giuliani, her campaign will devote ample resources to challenging just these kinds of comments.

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Herndon, Va.: Has there ever been a President elected with less experience than Hillary? She's into her second term as a Senator, but before that she was just an Arkansas lawyer, right? And many people think she "bought" a safe Democratic Senate seat anyway. Has there ever been a president with a thinner resume?

Lois Romano: Hillary Clinton has not held public office for that long, but she has been in the public policy arena for three decades. She is considered by Republicans to be a formidable opponent because she is disciplined, knowledgeable, politically astute and smart -- and yes, experienced by virtue of her proximity to the highest levels of government and decision-making.

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Wurtsboro, N.Y.: So evangelical fundamentalist Republicans are making noises about their distaste for Giuliani and suggesting they'll run a third party candidate. Why? There are evangelical candidates already in the race -- Huckabee and Alan Keyes spring to mind.

Lois Romano: Yes,and Huckabee has shown to be a good candidate. It's a good question, because if Giuliani wins the nomination that would indicate that those who consider him an unacceptable candidate did not have the votes to stop him. So it's hard to see what launching a third-party bid would do -- it likely only would serve to split the GOP vote, thereby help the Democratic candidate.

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St. Paul, Minn.: Hi Lois -- thanks for taking my question. Based on your insider's view, does the story of Sen. McConnell's involvement in the campaign to discredit the 12-year-old who has played a role in the SCHIP controversy have legs? What do you expect the Dems to do with it, if anything?

Lois Romano: It certainly doesn't look good -- and only time will tell if it has legs. But Democrats have targeted his seat -- which has been safe -- and tactics like going after a kid only give the opposition fuel. Watch for ads in Kentucky on the topic.

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Richmond, Va.: Am I the only one that feels Hillary should be getting a lot more flack about her decision to add Sandy Berger to her campaign team? Regardless of your party affiliation, stealing, then destroying documents from the National Archives is not really something to "move on from."

Lois Romano: She caught quite a bit of flack. I can't see a scenario where Berger ever will get a high-profile spot on her team -- and he has blown any chance of fulfilling his dream of becoming Secretary of State in a Democratic administration. But look at it this way: They truly have been friends for many years. Maybe she merely is giving a friend a hand, a small level of dignity. And maybe she feels he still has something to contribute. Surely, there's room for redemption in politics.

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Norfolk Va.: I watched the Republican debate last night. Hillary will eat these guys for lunch! But I noticed that the media seems to pose much tougher questions to these guys than they do to Hillary. Why is that? Is she intimidating because she's the clear frontrunner? Because she's a former First Lady? Or is it just her chilly nature? What scares the media about her?

Lois Romano: I'm not sure I agree with you. I think in debates there have been tough questions directed at her. Clinton is very smart and very well-informed -- and good journalists know they need to be well-prepared to challenge her. There probably is a certain amount of deference she gets as a former First Lady, but I haven't see that impact coverage.

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Missing $8 trillion: A possible answer to Saint Johns, Ariz.'s, question: Besides the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, maybe part of the $8 trillion went to tax cuts.

Lois Romano: Thanks for adding that -- I'm sure that's the case.

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Peachtree City, Ga.: Why do you think that the Republican Party is so against Ron Paul? He is clearly the most conservative of the field. Out of the whole lot of them he probably has the best chance to win.

Lois Romano: The party is not against Ron Paul, but he is not considered someone who would be a strong contender in a general election. He has a solid following and certainly shocked everyone by raising $5 million in the most recent quarter, but he never has voted with the GOP on the war, and often is thought of as more of Libertarian than a Republican.

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Washington: Considering that many speculate it will be a Democratic year, that Minnesota is still a somewhat "blue" state, and that Sen. Klobuchar easily defeated her opponent in 2006, why haven't Democrats been able to find a more serious challenger to Norm Coleman than trial lawyer Mike Ciresi and comedian Al Franken?

Lois Romano: Al Franken announced he was running fairly early and likely discouraged others from getting in. I don't know all the dynamics of the race but Franken has the ability to raise much money for a statewide campaign -- and he has. He also has high name-recognition -- although not all of it is positive. He has spent a lot of money trying to establish himself as a serious guy. Despite being a funnyman, Franken is considered smart and political.

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Re: St. Paul, Minn.: Please forgive my ignorance; but could you please provide details on how Sen. McConnell is trying to discredit a 12-year old? Thank you...

washingtonpost.com: The Swift-Boating of Graeme Frost (Time, Oct. 10)

Lois Romano: The link above explains the story.

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Montgomery Village, Md.: If Sen Clinton is selected as the Democratic nominee, will she have difficulty attracting a "top-tier" candidate as vice president when that person knows he would have to deal with Bill -- the power behind the throne? Hillary's vice president would at best be a No. 3.

Lois Romano: She will have no trouble getting a top-tier nominee -- they will be lined up for miles. She likely will look for geographical diversity, perhaps a man from the south.

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Windsor, Vt.: Is Huckabee on the uptick? The more I see of him the more I like.

Lois Romano: Huckabee has developed a strong following -- and like you, the more people see of him, the more they like him. He's relaxed and funny -- and very conservative, which the GOP base likes. But it's unlikely he'll get the nomination. However, he's done himself a lot of good as a serious player.

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Lois Romano: Well we're out of time. This was great fun -- a lot of terrific questions. I'll be back next Thursday, so if I didn't get to you, try me again. Thanks for joining us.

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