POLITICS

Hotline Extra

by Maura O'Brien

Sat. May 10, 2008


Frankly Peeved

For weeks, Rep. Robert Andrews, D-N.J., has been holding news conferences challenging the senator he is seeking to replace, Democrat Frank Lautenberg, to a series of debates. This week, Lautenberg fired back.

In a meeting with The Philadelphia Inquirer's editorial board, Lautenberg said he "wouldn't enjoy" a televised debate with Andrews "because I think his behavior has been contemptuous."

Lautenberg told the newspaper that Andrews had promised to support his re-election bid at a meeting over Chinese takeout at Lautenberg's Washington home in October. "Rob Andrews isn't someone, in my view, who likes to keep his word," Lautenberg said.

The dinner meeting and promise "didn't prevent him, at a much later date, from assembling a campaign against me," the incumbent added.

However, Lautenberg said that his hesitation to debate had to do with "my thoughts as to whether or not I want to sit face-to-face with him, or whether we want to do it in some kind of a detached mode. That's an option I have." (Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/6)

Nevertheless, later this week, Lautenberg agreed to a one-hour debate, which is scheduled to be broadcast live on the statewide public-television station, NJN, on May 30, a Friday. Unwilling to stop squabbling, the Andrews campaign complained that it is inappropriate to hold the only debate just 80 hours before the June 3 primary and at a time and day when few voters are likely to tune in. (Courier-Post, Cherry Hill, N.J., 5/7)

Last Judgment

Former Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who briefly challenged Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., during her re-election campaign, will be the judge on a new court television show for the CW network.

Judge Jeanine Pirro will air on weekday afternoons beginning in September. "Everyone has had ups and down in their lives," Pirro said in an interview. "The people who come to court want justice, but they need a judge who understands those ups and downs."

Pirro, 56, has indeed had ups and downs. Once considered a rising star in the New York GOP, she was a popular judge, a solid winner in three consecutive runs for district attorney, and was even selected for People magazine's "Most Beautiful" issue. However, her Senate campaign opened disastrously in 2005 when she misplaced a page of her announcement, leaving her speechless for 32 seconds. Never able to fully get her footing against Clinton, Pirro eventually dropped out in favor of the state attorney general race. She was easily defeated by Democrat Andrew Cuomo.

Pirro later became the subject of a federal investigation after allegations that she spoke with former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik about how she could secretly record her husband, who she believed was having an affair. No charges were filed against her; the couple announced their separation in November.

As for Pirro's new show, Hilary Estey McLoughlin, president of Telepictures Productions, says that the former DA has "a powerful and dynamic television presence with a distinctive point of view, and depth of professional and life experience."

But will the market allow for yet another court-style show? It certainly has the potential, argues Katz Television expert Bill Carroll. "Usually the ones that are most successful are the ones that have a distinctive personality," he said. "Certainly, by any judgment, Jeanine Pirro is a distinctive personality." (Associated Press, 5/5)

The Tax Man Cometh

With one month to go before their state convention, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members are closely examining the potential electability of comedian and author Al Franken, who has been damaged recently by stories about insurance and tax mistakes. Franken hopes to be picked by his party to challenge Republican Sen. Norm Coleman.

"People involved in multistate organizations typically encounter these convoluted mixes of tax laws," said Bill Miller, a DFL official who noted that the tax dustup hadn't shaken his faith in Franken. "When you compare the amount he's paid with the amount his accountant had trouble with, it doesn't strike me as that big an issue," Miller said. Many of the delegates to the 8th District convention in Duluth had similar reactions to the disclosure that Franken had paid income taxes to the wrong states from 2003 to 2006, requiring him to send $70,000 to 17 states that had been shorted.

In a recent interview on the campaign trail, Franken said he is focusing on issues of concern to voters and added he is confident he will win his party's endorsement. "It's a little hard to assess, especially right now," Franken said of the tax flap. "But I do know that it was probably one of the most inspiring days, after I talked to the press, when my daughter came in and said, 'You've got to see what's going on out there.' " He said that campaign staffers were calling delegates and finding out that "they didn't care."

Meanwhile, it also seems that Franken's tax difficulties are not of much concern to his Democratic primary opponent, college professor Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. "I really believe we have the best campaign and the best candidate," Nelson-Pallmeyer said, "so anything that distracts from that message, everyone loses." (Star Tribune, Minneapolis, 5/4)

Mississippi Runoff

Vice President Cheney will be in DeSoto County, Miss., to campaign for Southaven Mayor Greg Davis on May 12, the day before the Republican competes in the runoff for the 1st District's U.S. House seat.

The afternoon rally is scheduled for the DeSoto Civic Center, which seats about 1,500 people. "This speaks of the importance of this race and the voters of DeSoto County," Davis said. "We are very excited Vice President Cheney will be here to rally the voters for this upcoming election." Cheney is expected to attend just the one campaign event. (Commercial Appeal, Memphis, 5/5)

Davis and his Democratic opponent, Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers, are vying to succeed Roger Wicker, the Tupelo Republican appointed to the Senate late last year.

Davis aide Ted Prill said that the vice president's upcoming visit "shows a clear contrast" between the two candidates: "Greg is happy to stand onstage and have the support of the leaders of his party. Travis Childers cannot run far enough away from Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Nancy Pelosi."

Childers, who has criticized Republican efforts to tie him to the Democratic Party's national leaders, recently said that President Bush has presided over a "failed" administration. "The people of north Mississippi do not want more of the same," Childers said. "They do not want that, and that's all Greg Davis offers... more of the same. Typical Washington rhetoric. Cookie-cutter candidate." (Daily Journal, Tupelo, Miss., 5/6)

Quotables

"I'll tell you what: I'm not going to put my lot in with economists." --Hillary Rodham Clinton, asked to name an economist who supports a federal gasoline tax holiday (This Week, ABC, 5/4)

"Absolutely not." --Barack Obama, on whether he would seek the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's counsel as president (Meet the Press, NBC, 5/4)

"Why? For the simple reason that the nominees were qualified, and it would have been petty, and partisan, and disingenuous to suggest otherwise." --John McCain, on why he voted to confirm President Clinton's Supreme Court nominees, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer (Washington Post, 5/6)

"To celebrate, today President Bush gave a speech in front of a banner that said 'Economic Recession Over.' "--comedian Conan O'Brien, on the fifth anniversary of Bush's "Mission Accomplished" speech (Late Night, NBC, 5/2)

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