Post Politics Hour

Washington Post congressional reporter Paul Kane was online Thursday, Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the latest in political news.

____________________

Paul Kane: Good morning, folks. Lots to talk about today, as the health-care marathon continues on. (At this point, are we beyond marathon as the metaphor? Is this an ultra-marathon, one of those 50- or 100-mile races? Or is this more like a war?)

Anyway, we've got exec comp rules flowing out of the White House. We've got politics in key places -- has anyone looked at Obama's schedule this week? The Obama Brand is on the road like no time since winning the White House last fall.

Finally, the Phillies won the National League pennant last night! The Phillies won the pennant, the Phillies won the pennant. (My apologies to New York baseball Giants fans of 1951.) Now, my friends and I are dealing with the personal crisis of having floor seats for Springsteen's Nov. 2 concert here in DC, the same night the Phillies are slated to host Game 5 against the Yanks -- the night before voters in Virginia, New Jersey and New Yorks' 23rd congressional district go to the polls. What the heck do I do? On to the questions. -pk

_______________________

Reston, V]a.: Why is it constitutional to force Americans to buy private health insurance that no one can afford? What do the lawyers have to say about this issue? What does the insurance mandate do to other competing personal goals such as earning one's way through college?

Paul Kane: I'm not a constitutional lawyer, nor have I consulted one. But I do know that some folks have compared this to the mandate that you have to have car insurance in order to drive an automobile. Granted, you can chose -- as I do -- to not own a car and not get car insurance. Under these plans, the very act of being, of existence, would require you to get some form of insurance.

Hard to say about the constitutionality here, but then again, you have to pay taxes.

_______________________

Greenville, S.C.: Paul -- This is probably not in your coverage area, but I'm sure you communicate with your brethren who cover the White House press briefings. What do they think of Robert Gibbs? Is he believable? If he tells them the sun is shining, do they automatically grab an umbrella? Is he the kind of fellow who, if he wasn't convinced that he was being completely honest and truthful, would step down? Or, would he continue in his job while accumulating material for his book?

Paul Kane: I think most White House reporters genuinely like Gibbs and have a decent rapport with him. Many reporters were on the Obama campaign in '07 and '08 with Robert, so they know him quite well.

Is he as informative as they want him to be? Not at all.

I think, purely from an observer's perch far removed from White House coverage, that the position of White House press secretary is now almost useless. The daily briefings rarely serve to do anything of value. It's not about who is in the position, whether it be Dana Perino or Robert or Ari, I think the whole thing seems to have turned into a show. If I were named White House press secretary tomorrow -- and trust me, that ain't happening -- I think I'd institute a new policy in which, once a week, the cameras and tape recorders were turned off. Take away the showmanship on everyone's part, and just make it about information.

_______________________

Boston, Mass.: I set my clock to wake me to news radio, and this morning's alarm was the worst thing I have ever heard. It was Dick Cheney's voice accusing Obama of screwing up Afghanistan (isn't it ironic).

Anyways as I was coming to, I realized that these Cheney missives are very similar in nature to the tapes Osama used to launch a few years ago: they come at random; they always accuse the U.S. (or Obama in Cheney's case) of failure and moral weakness; and the central idea of the attack is built on weak foundation.

What is the man thinking? Is he like Greenspan, shocked that his core philosophy is a proven failure, but unlike Greenspan that realization has driven Cheney to madness?

Oh, and go Pedro! Two wins and Series MVP!

Paul Kane: Thanks for the Pedro shout out. The man's like Robert C. Byrd, just when you count him out, he comes back from the Dominican and starts pitching gems. (FYI:: Byrd has been on the Senate floor this week, engaging in appropriations debates, giving speeches and even countering remarks from other senators. Best he's looked in 2 years.)

As for Cheney, I'm just gonna take a pass on this question. But I'll use it to relay a story. On Tuesday night I went to a small party at Charlie Palmer steakhouse on Capitol Hill, and afterward, sitting at the bar, I saw the breakup of a separate event in the restaurant, an AEI dinner with Cheney as the speaker. Had to be about 25 House Republicans there to hear him speak, based on all the Rs I saw pouring out of the restaurant.

Interestingly, not a single member of leadership attended, and, more interestingly, no Senate Republicans attended.

Those in attendance read like a Who's Who of -- depending on your political persuasion -- the Conservative Movement or the Right Wing Fringe Caucus.

Bachman, Steve King, Jeff Flake, Louie Gohmert, and then some.

It was apparently a very dry discussion of Iran and Iraq, but I find the attendees to be interesting. That's Cheney's people these days.

_______________________

Alexandria, Va.: Paul, Do you have any indication as to what Sen. Hutchison's plans are re: leaving the Senate? Thanks

Paul Kane: Great question, I'll check in with her people soon to double check. The presumption has been that sometime early next year she's going to resign her seat and run full time for governor in the GOP primary against incumbent Gov. Rick Perry.

The problem is, the Rs here in DC would prefer not to have a special election next November for KBH's seat, largely because they don't yet have a formal candidate and Democrats do: Houston Mayor Bill White, who's raising cash by the bunch down there.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/6670049.html

He would be an underdog against whoever the Rs would pick, but he'd be a well funded 'dog and might force the NRSC to spend money in Texas.

_______________________

Tuckerton, N.J.: Paul, yesterday the Senate defeated a bill that would have permanently prevented Medicare payment cuts to doctors as 12 Dems and one Lieberman voted with all 40 Republicans. This represents another legislative setback for health-care reform supporters and, to me, highlights the inept leadership in D.C. on this issue.

My question is why should health reform advocates, Democrats and progressives even care if Harry Reid wins re-election next year? Does it really matter whether there are 58 or 57 Democratic Senators in Congress, if they can't gather up a simple majority for a vote such as yesterday's?

Paul Kane: PK Rule of Life # 1: Never ask a question that you really don't want to know the answer to.

You think it doesn't matter whether you have 57 or 60 Dems, or less? Just wait till you find out.

Yesterday's vote was not a final vote on the issue, it was a statement vote by a bunch of lawmakers worried about exploding deficits. They want the doc fix approved -- heck, 69 senators voted for it last year, including 18 Republicans -- they just want to figure out a way to finance it. It will happen, just not this week.

_______________________

Health Care Chapter 37: It's that time again: what's your best guess as to when there will be a health bill voted up and sent to the president's desk -- if ever -- by Thanksgiving?

Paul Kane: One of the best health-care reporters in Washington -- and no, it wasn't Robert Pear of NYT -- this reporter came up to me last week and whispered: "Valentine's Day. I'm feeling Valentine's Day."

Look, I'm not the expert here, but she said it. Valentine's Day.

_______________________

No car?: I always knew you were a free rider...

Congrats on the Phils although I'm predicting a sweep loss against the Yanks (against my wishes as a Sox fan).

Paul Kane: I live 3 blocks from the Capitol, where I work from most days of the week, giving me an 8-minute-heel-toe commute, except for days when I duck into the Senate buildings and get coffee.

I have a very low carbon foot print, what can I say.

We'll see about the sweep prediction. If that were the case, it would settle my conundrum about Monday Nov. 2 and the Springsteen show. I'd just go see the Boss and let him heal the wounds.

_______________________

Baltimore, Md.: What does the White House expect to get out of slashing pay at these private companies?

What I see happening is the companies will be gutted as some of their best employees leave in order to make the wage that supply and demand says they should get, not what the government thinks is fair.

Paul Kane: This is a possibility, and it's one that people always throw around when discussing these matters. However, I don't think there are enough hedge funds and private equity firms out there to employ the thousands of folks who work at the 7 firms affected by the exec comp limits.

Er, scratch that. According to our story, this is only going to hit the top 25 employees at these 7 companies:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/21/AR2009102102719.html?hpid=topnews

So no, I don't think people are going to go running from Citi and other big players to go to the small hipster-rich funds.

_______________________

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. : How do you handicap the Perry-Hutchinson scrap in Texas?

Paul Kane: Pure, raw, unadulterated hatred for one another.

Take one of those Texas football rivalries, and amplify it be 3. Think "Friday Night Lights" against their most heated rival.

I can't say who's gonna win yet, but these two just plain don't like each other. (My apologies to Keith Jackson.)

_______________________

Abingdon, Md.: According to Chris Matthews on Hardball, Christopher Christie, Republican candidate for New Jersey Guv has attended 120 Springsteen concerts! How close are you to that number and what do you think this says about his possible governing style?

Paul Kane: Chris Christie -- a proud University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hen -- is also a huge Springsteen fan. This plays very well in the Garden State, but ultimately, it won't mean a darn thing to Jersey voters. Yeah, Corzine was born and raised in Illinois, and isn't much of a Springsteen fan, although he can fake it, like many Jersey pols.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/nyregion/30brucebox.html

There's a link to Christie's Bruce fandom. Again, I don't think this means a darn thing to voters. It's all about their comfort level with voting for a Republican. And no Republican running for governor or US Senate has topped 50% of the vote in Jersey since Tom Kean in the '80s.

PS -- I'm working on my 15th show, if I make it to the Nov. 2 concert, but I've got a Baltimore show Nov. 20 as my back-up plan.

_______________________

New York, N.Y.: What I find interesting is that everyone wants to make lobbyists the bad guys. The public doesn't realize that the politicians control who gets lobbyist jobs. In order to get an appointment in a Democrat's office, you have to send a lobbyist with ties to the Democratic Party. The same is true on the other side. I am not a lobbyist, but have worked on the Hill. I find it humorous and hypocritical when politicians rail against lobbyists.

Paul Kane: Hmm, I want to argue with you, Mr. New York, given that your Yankees are about to take on my Phillies. But you make an interesting point.

So, as a show of good sportsmanship, I'm just gonna post this New Yorker's comment.

_______________________

Alexandria, Va.: Paul, In your opinion: could/would Senator Reid use Senator Ensign's problems in his campaign, e.g. in a campaign ad? I thought the two had a aggression pact but then I heard Senator Ensign say he would campaign for whoever Reid's opponent turns out to be. Does this mean all bets are off?

Paul Kane: John Ensign was asked a question by reporters inside the Capitol whether he'd campaign for Reid's opponent, and of course he said, Yes, he would. That's what you say inside the Capitol. If you went back to 2005, I'm pretty sure Harry Reid told me (I was at Roll Call) and other reporters in the Capitol that he would support whoever the Dem nominee was against Ensign.

Get back home, they don't do anything overt to help/hurt one another. That's just the way it is with Ensign and Reid. They have an odd affection for one another, which began to some degree with an unofficial non-aggression pact. But it also has grown into something real.

Reid will not attack John Ensign in his campaign -- Ensign's parents, FYI, are major Reid supporters.

_______________________

Indianapolis, Ind.: Did I hear right, that Harry Reid could put the public option in the Senate version of the health-care bill just on his say-so? And it would take 60 votes to get it out? What are we waiting'' for!

Go Phillies. I've been a fan since '64 and we are in new territory with this return engagement. Phils in 6, and I get to come back home for a parade!

Paul Kane: Sure, it's possible he could frame the legislation in a way that would require 60 votes to get the public option out of the bill.

But then he'd still need to find the 60 votes to pass the bill overall. And he could end up in senatorial limbo, with enough support for the public option but not enough support for the overall legislation.

_______________________

Montreal : This gave me the giggles -- Jake Tapper to Gibbs:)

Tapper: "That's a sweeping declaration that they're not a news organization. How are they different from say, ABC, MSNBC, Univision?"

What kind of reception did Jake get when he got back to work that day, when his bosses found out that he had compared ABC's news coverage to the Murdoch Fox Network!

How about wearing a tea shirt to the pressers that says "We Are All Glenn Beck"?

Paul Kane: I can't say anything bad about Jake. He's a Phillies fan and just won his bet with NBC's Chuck Todd. Would love to be there for the shaving of Chuck's beard.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/22/chuck-todd-to-shave-goate_n_329855.html

Interestingly, Jake could now set up a huge bet with CNN's Ed Henry, who is a pathetic, no-good, piece-of-garbage Yankees fan. I think the loser should shave his head.

What do y'all think?

_______________________

New York, N.Y.: Not to be a feminist, but "Mr. New York" is "Ms. New York" and a Detroit Tigers fan.

Paul Kane: Oh, I'm sorry, Ms New York. Glad you corrected me.

Tough luck with the Tigers. I blame it all on the Sports Illustrated cover piece in mid-September. There's a real curse thing going on there, I totally believe it.

_______________________

Reading, Pa.: Has the president energized his base with recent policy direction on gays in the military and medical maryjane to keep his House in order for 2010 elections ?

Paul Kane: Maybe I'm just not as cynical as I usually am, maybe my team winning has me on happy pills or something. But, is it possible that Obama's efforts to end "Don't Ask ..." and on medical marijuana are based on his administration's philosophical, ideological beliefs?

It's also possible that the Bush White House's anti-gay marriage actions were done because, well, they really, honestly didn't believe in gay marriage.

Sometimes, there's real policy beliefs that are the foundation of decisions.

OK, I've pinched myself. Back to being cynical.

_______________________

Middle, America: Sorry, but you don't have to pay taxes, at least income tax. You might have to file a tax return, but 40 percent of Americans not only pay no income tax, many get a credit. And that is the very group lacking health insurance, either because of employers not being mandated or because of affordability. Now, they will either lose that job or have to pay a fine. For existence.

There is a huge difference between receiving all income tax back as a refund and paying a fine because you don't like Uncle Sam forcing you as a young adult to buy a health plan.

Not very constitutional to me. But, then again, I live outside of Washington, where lobbyists don't dictate our thought.

Paul Kane: Middle America v. Ms New York!

It's a political chat showdown, where Middle America believes lobbyists dictate things in DC and Ms New York says it's the lawmakers.

Everyone take sides. This is a brawl that could end with people's arms cut off!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APGGKrMyZ3o

_______________________

Pay Cut for Bailed out Firms: Having it on your resume that the business you were in charge of had to be bailed out by the federal government will really make you a recruiting target for competing firms, wouldn't it?

Paul Kane: Plenty of people have failed their way upward and onward in life, continuing to get better and better jobs.

Trust me, some of the people in congressional leadership and holding chairman's gavels -- all they did was just hang around long enough to watch others fall by the wayside.

It happens in every industry.

_______________________

Silver Spring, Md.: Let's take a step back. Hasn't President Obama already won the health-care debate? A bill will get passed this year. Not a perfect one or one that liberal Democrats would prefer. But the first significant health-care bill since the Medicare/Medicaid legislation of the 1960s will get passed. Republicans will look foolish for opposing it and Congressional Democrats will be able to expand over the years. Ultimately, this bill will be celebrated as a huge triumph for President Obama. Game over.

Now how many home runs will Ryan Howard hit at the New Yankee Stadium?

Paul Kane: Silver Spring expresses a degree of optimism that would make Rahm Emanuel smile.

I just don't think it's anywhere near as simple as you've laid it out. Remember, these are Democrats, and the infighting is always amazing. So by the time this gets done -- if it gets done, whether it's by Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day -- the Dems may end up wanting to beat each other up.

_______________________

New York, N.Y.: Paul, I have been a baseball fan since the 50s when I attended my first game. As I have matured I realize that the only curse in sports is the curse of the other team playing better than your team. Also, as I have reminded my friends, in 1967 the Tigers where knocked out of first place and Series on the last weekend of the season, but we all know what happened in 1968.

Paul Kane: All true.

But Sports Illustrated scares me. I believe in higher powers, and if the higher powers do care about sports, man, they seem to use SI's covers in ways that just make fans cringe.

_______________________

Helena, Mont.: Okay, I'll bite -- who on the Dem side is going to filibuster the health reform bill? Now that there are 60 in the Dem caucus, there cannot be a "Republican" filibuster -- only a Dem caucus with the Republicans. I know the Dem caucus is fractious and not lockstep, but it seems that Reid should be able to hold it for cloture on the big issues. Let them filibuster the small ones, if they must. Me, I prefer the Senate go back to majority rule, not supermajority rule, but then I'm not in the Senate.

Paul Kane: Yes, this is the $64,000 question.

I don't know the answer to this, but Senate Dem moderates are not answering this question. Would they be willing to vote 'yes' on the cloture vote, the filibuster vote, and then vote 'no' against the whole legislation?

It's a dicey proposition for anyone who's up for re-elect in 2010, say, someone like Blanche Lincoln. The ads would be brutal. It would be easier for someone like her home state colleague, Mark Pryor, who just won re-elect with 79% of the vote, or Ben Nelson, who won with more than 60% in '06. But for Lincoln, that would be too cute by half, too close to her next election.

So, you heard it here first: the most important female vote in the Senate may not be from the ladies from Maine, but instead, the gentlelady from Arkansas.

_______________________

Gloating?: Phils win the pennant. Good luck against the Yankees in what will be called the "TransJersey" series.

Paul Kane: Hmm, not sure what this will be called. I like anything that makes fun of New Jersey, however.

As I've always said about Jersey, it's a great place to drive through.

_______________________

Paul Kane: Alright folks, time to run. Thanks for all the questions. Sorry if I went overboard on Phillies stuff, but, well, it happens. I'll see you back here in 2 weeks. Go Phillies! -- pk

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.