Dining Out With POTUS

A very interesting article from WaPo about what it takes to prepare a restaurant for a visit from the First Family:

"The Secret Service doesn’t share operational information, of course, but the arrangements described by restaurant owners are similar. There is little warning. On the day of an outing, a small Secret Service detail might show up (in the morning, for lunch; in the afternoon, for dinner) to do a walk-through with the restaurant manager, choose a table and inform the manager if other tables will be needed for Secret Service agents. About an hour before FLOTUS and/or POTUS arrive, 20 to 30 more agents appear."

If you are interested in the logistics of all the moving parts of the modern presidency or just a foodie, read the article in its entirety. For me, as a Top Chef fan and someone fascinated by the workings of the White House, it doesn't get any better than this.

Hat Tip: Political Wire

March Madness and Political Kabuki

Political Arena Topic: The Brackets Presidency

People forget that presidents are human beings, not robots that operate 24/7/365. They need rest and relaxation too—after all, they have perhaps the most challenging job on the planet. So, if the president wants to take a half hour out of his schedule to fill out an NCAA bracket, I think we should cut him some slack just like we should cut other presidents slack for clearing brush on their ranch, playing golf, pitching horseshoes, or fly fishing, even during a war.

The president’s role as chief diplomat requires that he travel internationally from time-to-time. Unless there is an immediate domestic crisis, it is never a good idea to cancel or reschedule these types of trips. There is incredible expense and time put into planning such missions. And by delaying or cancelling such a high-profile trip, the president may be elevating to crisis level an issue that may not be worthy of that designation (e.g., budget talks). Though the events in the Middle East and Japan are very serious, they are also not happening on American territory and there is only so much the president can do. Besides, with the ability to take their own flying command center with them (Air Force One) and with the most advanced communications technology of the 21st Century at their disposal, it makes little difference whether the president is at the White House or in Waxahachie, Texas.

In the current political environment, criticism of the president is to be expected regardless of who the president is and regardless of what action they take. If the current president were a Republican who was filling out a bracket, you can bet the Democratic National Committee would be all over him. It is a political Kabuki dance and nothing more.

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Scott Walker's Folly

Politico Arena Topic: Scott Walker's Triumph?

Hubris: “an excess of ambition, pride, etc, ultimately causing the transgressor’s ruin.” The Republican Party, buoyed by the 2010 election that allowed them to take over state governments across the country, have taken direct aim at the Democratic Party’s lifeblood: unions. This is especially the case in the industrial Midwest where Democrats and unions are strong. Let’s make one thing clear: the collective GOP effort to kill collective bargaining rights across the land is about politics, not budgets. It’s about gutting the Democratic Party’s one source of cash that allows them to at least compete with the bags of cash flowing to the GOP from Wall Street. The Republican Party’s political ambition is as naked as Charlie Sheen at a Beverly Hills party.

The GOP is currently winning the battles in the various states. In Wisconsin, Ohio, and elsewhere, Republican-dominated legislatures are ramming through collective bargaining legislation despite howls of protest and sinking poll numbers. The Wisconsin case will likely be challenged in the courts as the Senate proceedings may have violated Wisconsin’s open meetings law. In Ohio, two Republican state senators who would have voted against Senate Bill 5 were removed from committee and replaced with senators who voted for it, ensuring passage, 7-5, and allowing the bill to be passed by the tiniest of margins, 17-16, in the Senate as a whole. It will pass in the House and be signed by Governor Kasich. But the story will not end there. Signatures will be gathered for a veto referendum and the law, before it can be enacted, will be placed on the November ballot for the people of Ohio to decide guaranteeing that this issue will dominate Buckeye politics for the next several months.

Have the Republican governors won the argument? Well, they have temporarily won the political battle. But it may be a Pyrrhic victory. In just a few short weeks, the GOP has managed to do the impossible: wake up a slumbering Democratic base and managed to convert some natural Republican constituencies. In Ohio, police and fire fighters and their unions which supported John Kasich will be all in for Democrats for the foreseeable future. In Wisconsin, a naturally progressive-leaning state, Scott Walker’s poll numbers are tumbling and recall efforts against Republican lawmakers abound. Because of Republican hubris, Wisconsin, Ohio, and many other states which may have tipped Republican in 2012 may go back to President Obama and the Democrats. The President should personally thank Scott Walker and his Republican colleagues for their help.

Politico Arena comment

Glenn Beck: A Lonesome Rhodes Sort of Crazy

Politico Arena Topic: Is Glenn Beck Hurting Conservatism?

Talk about a dark cloud. Glenn Beck has been increasingly going off the deep end as his own personal doomsday clock clicks louder and louder. The guy is crazy in a Lonesome Rhodes kind of way, laughing all the way to the bank. The more outlandish things he says, the more popular he becomes to a certain element of American society.

Does he hurt the conservative cause? Absolutely. The guy is a runaway freight train and conservatives cannot help be the caboose, pulled along for the ride, seriously hurting conservatives’ credibility with mainstream America.



It’s not for me to tell Fox what to do but having Beck on Fox helps Democrats and progressives. His brand of crazy scares many Americans and many of them are bound to be scared enough to run back into the Democratic tent.

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Newt for Prez?

Politico Arena Topic: Should Gingrich Run?

Well it’s not my place to tell any politician whether he should or should not run for office (I’ve tried that in the past and it hasn’t worked out so well). However, I think if Newt Gingrich does run for president, he will have trouble.

Many forget that he had quite a few enemies in his own House caucus during his four years as speaker and was challenged outright for the speaker’s gavel. He also has a propensity to say controversial things bordering on the outlandish such as when he reportedly called first lady Hillary Clinton a not-so-nice name and suggested that a large percentage of President Clinton’s White House staff used drugs. Much more recently, Gingrich suggested that President Obama can only be understood by understanding the president’s “Kenyan, anti-colonial” world view thus waving the flag of the Birther movement.

Perhaps Gingrich’s lust for political red meat would play well with his base and the tea party folks, securing him the nomination. However, as the GOP nominee, Gingrich would stand little chance. General presidential elections are usually won in the middle of the ideological spectrum as undecideds and independents tip the scale one way or the other. A Gingrich nomination would tip those folks in the middle to the Obama side.

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The Donald for President? Got Any Hand Sanitzer?

Politico Arena Topic: Would Voters Say "You're Hired" to Trump?

In order to secure the GOP nomination, The Donald would have to overcome his hand-shaking fear. Voters in early primary calendar states such as Iowa and New Hampshire demand old-fashioned retail politicking. They expect candidates to actually be on the ground, in their home, at the fair, in the grocery store, doing things Trump would likely detest—shaking hands and kissing babies. His money could not buy those early states and he likely wouldn’t do well in some of the other early primary states such as South Carolina where his northern roots, accent, and lifestyle would be a huge turnoff.

Should a miracle happen and Trump were to secure the Republican nomination, his personal fortune would certainly come in handy. And his huge name recognition doesn’t hurt either. However, the fact that he has never held political office would raise serious questions for most voters. Ross Perot and Steve Forbes are examples of recent ultra-rich candidates who self-financed their presidential bids. Forbes was never a serious contender in two election cycles. Perot made an impact in 1992 as an independent candidate but fell far short of winning. However, the independent route is where Trump could stir things up should he choose to go that way. Of course, were he to go in that direction, it would likely help President Obama get reelected.

Permalink to Politco Arena comment.

Huck for Prez in 2012?

Politico Arena Topic: Could Huckabee Win in 2012?

First, Mike Huckabee deserves a lot of credit for defending Michelle Obama and her campaign to decrease childhood obesity in this country and opposing the Limbaugh crowd’s vicious attacks. I do think if he is able to raise enough cash that he would be a formidable contender for the GOP nomination. People forget that in 2008 he lasted longer than any other Republican presidential contender except John McCain. As a former governor from Arkansas, Huckabee has a natural advantage over many other potential Republican candidates in those crucial Southern primary states.

Could he beat President Obama in 2012? Sure it’s possible but almost two years out it’s impossible to predict what will happen. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush was so popular and looked so invincible that most big name Democrats refused to throw their hat in the ring. In 1995, many observers were convinced that Bill Clinton would be a one term president. Well, Bush was beaten by Clinton in 1992 and Clinton rolled on to reelection in 1996.

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It's All Political

Fox News' Shepard Smith corroborates what I've been saying: the battle in Wisconsin, Ohio, and elsewhere over collective bargaining is not about budgets, it's political. It's about killing the unions and the Democratic Party's only source of big money. Says Smith: "It's all political isn't it? Isn't it just 100% politics?...Have you looked at the list of the top 10 donors to political campaigns? Seven of those 10 donate to Republicans. The other three that remain of those top 10, they all donate to Democrats and they are all unions. Bust the unions, it's over." Couldn't have said it better myself.

2011 Feels Like 1995

I have recently been added to the list of "players" for Politico's Arena. I will attempt to republish my comments here. Below is the first.

Politico Arena Topic: Government Shutdown-Who Wins Who Loses?

2011 feels an awful lot like 1995. In 1995, you had a Democratic president who had lost unified party control over Congress and was now on the defensive with a resurgent Republican Party riding the wave of a “revolution” to take the government back. Many observers viewed President Clinton as a one-term, failed president, and the presidency itself as “irrelevant.” Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich, riding high from his victory and new found fame, called Clinton’s bluff on the budget and the federal government shutdown - twice. We all know how things turned out - the Clinton White House turned the shutdown into a public relations victory and knocked Gingrich off his pedestal. Clinton sailed to reelection. Gingrich never recovered politically and resigned after his party lost seats in the 1998 midterm election.

We are now several months into the FY2011 budget calendar as the federal government has been operating because of temporary spending bills since October. The latest continuing resolution (CR) is set to expire March 4 and if Congress and the president cannot agree on a new CR, the U.S. is headed for a replay of the events of 1995. Like Bill Clinton before him, President Obama’s Democratic Party got a shellacking in the 2010 midterms, losing control of the House of Representatives. But from the very start of his presidency, Obama has talked the talk of civility and working together with the other party, often extending the hand of cooperation only to have it slapped away. With the GOP now in control of the House, there is an expectation by the public that both parties work together to solve the nation’s great problems. When Obama released his FY2012 budget last week, it was immediately greeted with jeers by Republican leaders and members saying it was “dead on arrival.”

If the federal government shuts down next week, basic services such as the issuing of military veterans’ benefits checks and passports will cease, national parks and museums will be closed, and hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be forced to stay home. The Obama White House will be able to point to Republicans and their tea party members who openly reject the entire notion of negotiation and compromise, and claim that Republicans are responsible for the mess. And a majority of the public will likely agree.

Permalink to Politico Arena comment.

GOP Takes Aim at Collective Bargaining

It's not just happening in Ohio--it's happening all over the country. In what can only be called either an organized GOP campaign or a very improbable coincidence, Republican governors and legislatures across the land are aiming at disemboweling public employee unions. In Ohio, Senate Bill 5 was just introduced which would:

"Among other things, the law would eliminate final binding arbitration as the means for local governments to settle contract disputes with police and fire employees, prohibit the use of seniority as the sole factor in determining the order of layoffs, and allow the hiring of permanent replacements by government to replace striking workers. It would also remove health-care benefits as a factor in negotiations, allowing government to offer a single plan to all public employees who would have to pick up at least 20 percent of the cost."

But Ohio Republican Governor John Kasich feels the bill does not go far enough and "said the budget he will propose next month for the next two years would go even further, outlawing strikes by all public employees."

It's not just happening in Ohio, similar actions are being taken across the country. In Wisconsin, things are exploding as thousands of people have converged on the state capitol to protest GOP Governor Scott Walker's plan to gut collective bargaining--a plan the Governor hopes to have signed, sealed, and delivered in a matter of days:

"Thousands of public employees and supporters converged at a hearing at the capitol here that ran into the wee hours of Wednesday morning to voice their objection to a proposal to cut their benefits and remove most of their unions’ ability to bargain. The show of anger was powerful. Madison schools were closed on Wednesday after scores of teachers called in sick and appeared headed to lobby exhausted-looking lawmakers, who had heard more than 17 hours of comments in a public hearing that began on Tuesday morning. More buses of public workers from other parts of the state were still pulling up near dawn on Wednesday. The target of their fury was a proposal by Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican elected in November, to press through a “repair bill” that would help solve the state’s $137 million budget shortfall by requiring government workers to contribute significantly more to their pensions and health care, while limiting collective bargaining for most state and local government employees to the issue of wages, excluding an array of issues like health coverage and vacations."

This is what dictatorship looks like, not democracy. The democratic process would include real debate and a thoughtful give-and-take (I think given the economic circumstances of the states, the unions would be fairly reasonable in giving up some benefits). Instead, this is an organized campaign by the GOP to kill the teachers’ unions--and eventually tenure—something they’ve wanted to do for a long time. And to do it fast before the opposition can organize. Governor Kasich said on the campaign trail that one of his main goals as governor was to "break the back" of the teachers unions. He’s well on his way.

Are we going to see people in the streets just like happened in Egypt? Is the National Guard really going to be used by GOP governors across the land to put down the protests? I hope not. We had a little incident here in 1970 at Kent State people might remember…

Never Bet Against the Pack

Never bet against the World Champion Green Bay Packers. That is a lesson learned the hard way by a friend of mine. A lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan, he learned that you can root against the Packers but you should never bet against them. The penalty for losing his Super Bowl XLV bet with yours truly: wearing a Packers jersey during his workday.

Frankly I think anyone looks great in the Green and Gold and he should thank me for the oppurtunity to wear anything Packers. Unfortunately for him, I only lent him the jersey and he will have to return it.

True Football Grit

Oh glorious day. I know this is a blog about the White House and politics, but as a lifelong Green Bay Packer fan, it doesn't get any better than this. America's team is bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to where it belongs. In case you were in a cave last night without access to the outside world, the Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Superbowl XLV, 31-25.

For a team that lost 2 of its field captains during the game, 15 players during the season (6 of whom were starters including their running back, tight end, captain on defense, etc.), it is amazing that this team came out on top. In order just to get there, Green Bay had to win its last two regular season games, had to win three playoff games...on the road. True football grit. By the end of the game and because of injuries, the Packers had to play special teams players in their secondary and as per usual, they rose to the occasion. Because of injuries throughout the season, the the Packers were loaded with free agent, waiver wire pick ups forced into starting roles. Didn't matter--they had the grit and determination to finish the job.

The hardware is coming back home to Green Bay--where it belongs. 13 NFL championships. 4 Superbowl victories. Not bad for a sports franchise from a city of just over 100,000 people. People live and die Packers football in Green Bay and the entire state of Wisconsin. We are die hard fans. We are not fair weather fans. It is a town where they take their football team so seriously, they schedule funerals around Packer games otherwise no one would show up. For all of us who stuck with the team through the bleak years of the 70s and 80s and survived the Favre retirement soap opera of three years ago, this championship is for you. Oh glorious day.