Politics
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Recommended reading: Obama's campaign manager lists his favorite political books
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/29/09 9:00 PM
Even though he's touring with his new book, "The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory," President Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, said last week he didn't learn much about running a campaign from reading.
That said, he recommended his top three political books for campaign junkies.
1. "What It Takes: The Way to the White House," by Richard Ben Cramer. Plouffe said this book, which details the 1988 election, was helpful in learning about the role of primaries and caucuses.
2. "The Making of the President 1960," by Theodore H. White. Teddy White's book is still relevant today, Plouffe noted.
3. "Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72" by Hunter S. Thompson. And, because not all political reading should be serious, Plouffe recommended this classic by gonzo journalist Thompson.
Welcome back: Former DC101 jock back on the air at The Edge
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/29/09 9:00 PM
Radio personality Kirk McEwen is back in town.
The former DC101 jock will lend his voice to the lineup of classic rock station 105.9 The Edge. He starts his drive-time gig Monday, hosting weekdays from 2 to 7 p.m.
McEwen hosted Baltimore's 98 Rock morning show for 10 years. The last time he graced our airwaves was his stint at the D.C. rock station in the 1990s.
"I can't wait to rock D.C. again," McEwen said.
The real test will be if he can keep us sane during rush hour.
Messy matters: Washington Times may settle, former editor's lawyer says
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/29/09 9:00 PM
After viewing the affidavit and draft complaint of a lawsuit being filed by former editorial page editor Richard Miniter, The Washington Times is expected to make a settlement offer Wednesday, according to Miniter's attorney Larry Klayman.
Miniter said he was still weighing his options, but, "I would prefer to settle now."
Wednesday marks the day that will decide whether Miniter's grievances against his former employer -- including that he was forced to attend a Unification Church religious ceremony -- will be aired out in court, Klayman said.
Klayman said he and his client were demanding Preston Moon, son of Times founder the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and the chairman of Times parent company News World Communications, attend any meeting in which an offer were made.
Miniter and Klayman prepared the lawsuit and were to file it Friday, but delayed the filing at the request of the Times. Miniter had previously filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that made headlines because it came on the heels of the ousting of the paper's top three executives and the resignation of top editor John Solomon.
The Washington Times' spokesman did not return a call for comment.
Rep says dinner crashers don't want money to speak
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/29/09 9:00 PM
Despite reports that White House dinner crashers and reality wannabes Tareq and Michaele Salahi are shopping for paid network appearances, their representative says it's just not true.
Speaking for the Salahis, Mahogany Jones told Yeas & Nays the couple denied any rumors of peddling interviews and demanding compensation.
"We are not making any formal comments or arrangement with any media at this time," Jones said in an e-mail.
CNN confirmed the couple postponed their appearance on "Larry King Live," originally scheduled for Monday, without giving the network a new date and time. A representative said CNN did not pay for interviews.
Yeas & Nays asked crisis guru Jason Miller of Dezenhall Resources how he thought the Salahis' alleged media manipulation would pan out.
"That largely depends on whether or not the Salahis have something interesting to say," Miller said. "People are interested in finding out what happened to Tiger Woods this weekend, but I don't think anybody cares about the back story of these polo-playing poseurs and their quest for 15 minutes of fame -- they're boring people."
Though Miller did acknowledge that if Washington's version of Speidi (the media moniker for reality television stars Spencer Pratt and his wife, Heidi Montag) got picked up by Bravo's "The Real Housewives of D.C.," it would be a win for them.
"Then again, I never would have thought that a s...
Holiday do-gooder: R Kelly spotted serving dinner to the troops
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/29/09 9:00 PM
With the holiday season in full gear, there are tons of opportunities for celebrities to spiff up their image with some strategic community service.
And R. Kelly, an R&B artist who's seen his share of bad press, did just that Wednesday night when he served Thanksgiving dinner to more than 200 troops from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other army facilities.
After dining with troops at Constitution Hall, Kelly invited them to his performance that evening as his guests.
No meat? No problem, vegans say
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/25/09 6:00 PM
It's not turkey.
No, no ... it's tofurkey.
That's how Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and his wife, Elizabeth, celebrate the day devoted to the bird -- with some rubbery tofu stuffed to ... tofection.
But wait ... do people actually eat that stuff?
"Well, do you want me to be honest?" Elizabeth Kucinich asked Wednesday. "It's more of a novelty ... but Dennis really likes it, that's why I get the tofurkey."
Although the self-professed vegans will spend the holiday with a close friend in the hospital this year, Elizabeth Kucinich shared some of her homemade meatless Thanksgiving recipes with Yeas & Nays that could please even a carnivorous crowd.
» Want to skip the tofurkey? Kucinich recommends stuffed zucchini as a substitute for the main course. First, remove the seeds and the center of the vegetable. Next, grind up nuts and mix in boiled rice and seasoning. Then choose a moist food like apples or cooked whole grains that will bind the stuffing and mix it with the rice, ground nuts and seasoning. Place the stg in the middle of the zucchini, wrap it in tin foil and place it in the oven on medium heat for 45 minutes to an hour, until the vegetable is tender.
» For a side dish, baked apples stuffed with fresh cranberries are a sweet pairing. Start by coring six cooking apples. Then wash a bag of cranberries and place them in a pan on very low heat, adding sugar, syrup or an...
Sightings: Jennifer Hudson hits the gym before the White House
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/25/09 6:00 PM
The Sports Club/LA at the Washington Ritz-Carlton is the creme de la creme of gyms when it comes to celebrity spotting. So it's no surprise that one of our spies spotted Jennifer Hudson working out there Tuesday.
Hudson was there working up a sweat several hours before her big performance at the White House's first state dinner with India. Hudson performed along with A.R. Rahman of "Slumdog Millionaire" fame, Kurt Elling, a Chicago-based jazz artist and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marvin Hamlisch.
Speakeasy
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/25/09 6:00 PM
"Because they were almost as graceful as Tucker Carlson on 'Dancing With the Stars.' "
-- Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank on why he scored finalists of the newspaper's "America's Next Great Pundit" contest like a figure skating judge.
By the numbers
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/25/09 6:00 PM
The Center for Fiscal Accountability wants you to make space for Uncle Sam at your Thanksgiving dinner this year, because he will be biting off a chunk of it with his nasty taxes.
40.91
The percentage of a Thanksgiving meal for 10 that will be eaten up in hidden taxes
Source: The Center for Fiscal Accountability
Sierra Club calls out Washington's biggest turkeys
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/25/09 6:00 PM
The Sierra Club has asked people to put down the turkey dinner and vote for the biggest turkey in Washington. Six made the list, but three stand out as top contenders.
Former congressman Tom DeLay made the list for claiming in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that there was no pork in the federal budget that could be diverted to disaster relief.
"Stifle your laughter," the Sierra Club said.
Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., was dubbed a turkey for saying global warming was a hoax and then tapping late science fiction writer Michael Crichton to reiterate that before Congress.
And last but not least, Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, made the "list of losers" for his two "Bridges to Nowhere."
Recommended reading: Obama's campaign manager lists his favorite political books
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/25/09 3:43 PM
Even though he's touring with his new book "The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory," President Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, said Monday he didn't learn much about running a campaign from reading.
That said, he recommended his top three political books for campaign junkies.
1. "What It Takes: The Way to the White House," by Richard Ben Cramer. Plouffe said this book, which details the 1988 election, was helpful in learning about the role of primaries and caucuses.
2. "The Making of the President 1960," by Theodore H. White. Teddy White's book is still relevant today, Plouffe noted.
3. "Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72" by Hunter S. Thompson. And because not all political reading should be serious, Plouffe recommended this classic by the gonzo journalist Thompson.
Speakeasy
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/24/09 9:00 PM
"It's sort of like a swan, where we're kind of calm and serene above water -- but we're paddling like mad, going crazy underneath, trying to look smooth."
-- First lady Michelle Obama's analogy on planning and hosting a state dinner
Green thumbs, gold plates: White House garden serves as inspiration for first state dinner
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/24/09 9:00 PM
In picking a theme for the decor for the Obama administration's first state dinner with India, the first lady went for the obvious: garden.
Michelle Obama's green thumbprints were all over the decor, food and flower arrangements at Tuesday's big event held outside in the South Lawn under a big tent.
The tent was decorated to look like a garden with magnolia branches hugging the walls of the structure. And the flower arrangements -- composed of hydrangeas, garden roses and sweet peas -- were to mimic the look of a "classic American garden," we're told. White House arugula, from the garden, was served in the salad, along with vegetables from other local sources.
"It's going to include the freshest ingredients from area farmers and purveyors," Obama said of the food, as she debuted the menu and place settings Tuesday afternoon for a gaggle of reporters and young women from the White House's Leadership and Mentoring Program. "And because of all of the hard work of some other kids in the community, we've got this wonderful White House kitchen garden out in the South Lawn and we're going to use some of the herbs from that garden in tonight's dinner as well," she gushed.
In a affair where every choice sends a message, the Obamas' zeal for gardening and sustainable foods was clear, but they made sure the dinner included touches of India as well. The deep purple flower arrangements placed ...
Love Triangle: WaPo's top pundit an ex of school chancellor
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/24/09 9:00 PM
It turns out that The Washington Post's "America's Next Great Pundit" was in bed with a local official.
Literally.
Winner of the Post's columnist contest, Teach for America Executive Kevin Huffman, is the ex-husband of D.C. schools chief Michelle Rhee, according to The Washington Post.
Rhee and Huffman moved to the District from Colorado in 2007 with their two children when Rhee accepted her post as chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools system.
Although the couple are no longer together, Rhee's fiance Kevin Johnson, the mayor of Sacramento, Calif., supported Huffman with an e-mail to friends asking them to vote for the rising pundit, according to the Gotham Schools blog.
FLOTUS finery: Indian American designer dresses Michelle Obama
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/24/09 9:00 PM
Indian-American designer Naeem Khan revealed to Yeas & Nays that two of his designs were among those the first lady could pick from to wear for Tuesday's state dinner, and it turns out Khan was the chosen one.
Michelle Obama sparkled in Khan's elegant, long, champagne-colored floral gown with an overlay of sterling silver sequins at the administration's first state dinner with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
She adorned the outfit with a champagne shawl (another nod to Indian style) and glittering traditional Indian bangles. She wore her hair brushed back in a sophisticated updo.
Khan was born in India and moved to the United States as a teenager, and has dressed everyone from Beyonce to Queen Noor of Jordan. Yeas & Nays chatted with Khan on Monday, and he was confident that Mrs. O would favor one of his selections of modernized traditional Indian ware, but kept the design a mystery.
David Plouffe: Oprah was used to create e-mail list, not get votes for Obama
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/24/09 9:00 PM
During the presidential campaign, it was big news when Oprah Winfrey stumped for Barack Obama.
But campaign manager David Plouffe revealed Monday she wasn't there to garner votes, she was there to amass e-mail addresses for the campaign's massive contact list.
"The narrative at the moment in the media was this could be a big mistake because Oprah's support may not transfer to votes," Plouffe recalled at a book signing hosted by Politics and Prose. "Of course not, we knew that, we didn't think anybody was going to vote for us because Oprah was in Iowa. What we did know was that we could send Oprah to Iowa, have 22,000 people attend events, which is an enormous number in the state of Iowa, and of course with the data these days, we knew who they were that night."
Speakeasy
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/23/09 9:00 PM
"Sometimes I would get mischievous and put people who were not enamored with each other together. ... Everyone is on good behavior at the White House."
-- President Ford's Social Secretary Maria Downs on creating the seating chart for state dinners
India's premier, turkeys to spend night at Willard
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/23/09 9:00 PM
Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh is not the only top White House guest staying at the Willard InterContinental Hotel this week: Turns out, the two very lucky turkeys the president pardons Wednesday will be cooped up in the historic spot, as well.
When the birds check in Tuesday, they'll be housed in a deluxe guest room with an adjoining room for their handler, and baby gates will pen them in. Hotel spokeswoman Barbara Bahny made it very clear the turkeys would be housed near the bathroom and not near the beds.
As to which one of the White House guests is getting a better spot, Bahny laid it out simply: "The turkeys are in little cages, and the prime minister is the head of state."
WH staffers share state dinner flubs
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/23/09 9:00 PM
Johnny Cash canceled at the last minute on President Ford's Social Secretary Maria Downs, while bad weather upended one of President George W. Bush's state dinners so much that Social Secretary Catherine Fenton worried there would be empty seats.
Even with all the planning, state dinners are still high-stress society events. Former White House aides revealed to Yeas & Nays some of their frenzied moments, while advising what Michelle Obama and current Social Secretary Desiree Rogers can do to keep those moments to a minimum Tuesday night.
Laura Bush's Chief of Staff Anita McBride said having an experienced staff was key, and it had to make the dinner look effortless. She recalled a reciprocal dinner (a state dinner, but abroad) held for the queen of England when the ambassador's dog started barking right as the queen was to begin her toast.
"[Fenton] just scooped that dog right up in her arms and walked right out of the room," McBride said, commending Bush's social secretary.
Downs recommended paying close attention to both the guest list and the seating chart.
"You want to make sure you invite people who make for an interesting evening," she said.
And you don't have to honor all of their requests. When a married Henry Kissinger asked Downs to put attractive women at his side, she smartly responded: "If I have beautiful women and I know what they look like, I'm going to put them o...
Designer hopes to leave his mark at state dinner
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/23/09 9:00 PM
Naeem Khan eager to find out if first lady will wear Indian-inspired submission
When first lady Michelle Obama keeps her closet on lockdown before major events, fashion greats and rookies feel anxiety and hope she will pick their design.
Even for the first state dinner Tuesday in tribute to fashion-forward India, the first lady has maintained her code of secrecy.
"With her you never know what she's going to wear, and I hope that she's wearing something from me," said Indian-American designer Naeem Khan, who was among the designers chosen to submit pieces for the first lady. Khan described the two dresses he submitted as very modern, but based on Indian fabrication.
As expectations climb for the first Obama state dinner, many are eager to see how the blend of cultures will reflect the drama of the evening.
Khan, who has dressed royalty including Queen Noor of Jordan and Princess Yasmin Aga Khan and advised Oprah Winfrey's business partner Gayle King on Indian wear for the dinner, gave Yeas & Nays a glimpse on what we can expect Tuesday night.
For Indian heads of state, Naeem Khan said to expect traditional saris and the popular two-piece outfit -- the scarf and shawl with a long top and fitted pants.
"The sari is a big player in this whole game and the colors," Khan said.
For other attendees, Khan said he hoped they would reflect Indian fashion with embroidery, ...
Cashing Out: 'Blonde Charity Mafia' star sells her wardrobe on eBay
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/22/09 9:00 PM
Whip out your credit cards, ladies: Katherine Kennedy, the star of CW's "Blonde Charity Mafia," is going rogue and selling her wardrobe on eBay.
Some of the fashion staples the socialite is willing to give up on the online auction site: a black velvet Marc Jacobs blazer that originally retailed for $358, an authentic Alberta Ferretti silk gown for the buy-it-now price of $1,099.99 and a gold Grecian Nicole Miller dress, new with tags for $259.
Kennedy told Yeas & Nays her friend Kathryn Leas asked if she could support her consignment venture by selling some of her clothes.
"How could I say no?" Kennedy said. "It's a great way to clear the closet of never or barely worn dresses and gowns."
Sightings: Barbara Boxer celebrates daughter's birthday at Masa 14
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/22/09 9:00 PM
Before spending Saturday stuck in the Senate talking health care, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D- Calif., was spotted Thursday celebrating her daughter Nicole's birthday at Masa 14, a newly opened spot in Logan Circle that features Latin-Asian fare.
Mom and daughter Boxer, and about 25 others, spent several hours at the restaurant, sampling the cocktails and Masa 14's signature flatbreads.
Top-less Chef: Citronelle's Michel Richard shows skin for charity
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/22/09 9:00 PM
Citronelle's Michel Richard must have gotten the memo that sex sells.
The burly celebrity chef was spotted showing some skin at Saturday's Starlight Children's Foundation Gala, where he was assisting with the live auction.
On the auction block was a wine-pairing dinner for 10 at his flagship restaurant, Citronelle, in Georgetown and five rooms at the Four Seasons. Richard's goal was for the bidding to top $10,000.
"Do I have to take my top off?" Richard asked the audience, and then unbuttoned his black chef's coat and exposed his bare chest.
The audience loved it, we're told.
And though Richard exposed no six-pack under his shirt, Yeas & Nays confirmed he indeed met his goal, and the restaurant/hotel package sold for more than $10,000.
Local veterans live, learn at American University
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/22/09 9:00 PM
This is the true story of six Iraq war veterans who decided to live together and study at American University to find out what happens when men return home from war and start their college educations.
Welcome to 4335 Van Ness St. NW, or, as the veterans who live there call it, Forward Operating Base Van Ness.
The undergraduates, who range between the ages of 23 and 36, are from across the country and represent different ethnic backgrounds. They ended up living together because of their participation in AU's chapter of Student Veterans of America.
And, more importantly, because they have one thing in common: their tours in Iraq.
"Outside of the fact that we live together and that we all served, there is really not one particular thing you could say about all of us," said senior Brandon Krapf, 27. "Like for political things, we're all across the spectrum."
The residence -- part fraternity house, part military barracks -- boasts typical college amenities like grungy couches, a foosball table, a dartboard and a hot tub in the garage.
But it's atypical, too. Cleanliness is enforced, military style.
"Direct confrontation is the way we deal with things," said junior Matthew Halbe, 25.
The roommates, who are studying at American under the GI Bill, also communicate in military lingo, enjoy group physical training and refer to one another as "ate-up" or "chewed-up" if someone doesn't look his be...
Better than Bud: Brew experts share District's top beer taps
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/22/09 9:00 PM
Perhaps it's just a little shameless flattery, but Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune -- beer connoisseurs and authors of "The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer" -- think D.C. gets it when it comes to beer.
“It’s a good beer culture here,” Perozzi said when she and her co-author were in town Wednesday for a beer pairing and book signing event at CulinAerie sponsored by the National Beer Wholesalers Association lobbying group.
Perozzi and Beaune revealed to Yeas & Nays where they liked to stop in the District to get a cold one.
"I love, love, love Granville Moore's," Perozzi said, giving high marks to the rustic H Street Northeast spot for its great selection of Belgian beers.
Also on her list were K Street's Brasserie Beck and Georgetown's Pizzeria Paradiso, which has 16 beers on tap and 80 bottled beers to choose from in the restaurant's basement bar.
Beaune said she was already a fan of the newly opened Logan Circle brew spot ChurchKey.
"That place is great because they organize their beer list by flavor," Beaune said.
And though some of D.C.'s bars and restaurants boast impressive tap and bottle lists, Perozzi said she still saw room for improvement.
"I'm more interested in the restaurants -- there's a gaping hole in that area," she said, noting D.C.'s fine dining establishments simply should have five di...
By the numbers
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/22/09 9:00 PM
There is no prerequisite for the number of state dinners a president can hold during his time in office. Some presidents charm state leaders regularly and others, like George W. Bush, "considered it a very special venue to honor a head of state" and used it "judiciously," according to his Social Secretary Catherine Fenton.
27
The number of state dinners hosted by President George H.W. Bush during his one-term presidency.
31
The number of state dinners hosted by President Clinton during his two terms.
6
The number of state dinners hosted by President George W. Bush during his eight years in office.
Speakeasy
By: Tara Palmeri
11/19/09 9:00 PM
"When Mayor Giuliani makes a decision about serving in public office, he will inform New Yorkers on his own."
-- Giuliani spokeswoman Maria Comella, in a statement on her boss' position on running for either governor of New York or U.S. Senate. New York newspapers have been speculating recently on the former mayor's political future.
More trouble: Sen. Lugar's wife gets hit with drunken-driving, hit-and-run charges
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/19/09 9:00 PM
Proving that alcohol violations aren't just for politicians' kids, Sen. Richard Lugar's 76-year-old wife, Charlene, was charged Wednesday night with drunken driving and a hit-and-run, accused of smashing into a parked vehicle and driving away, the Associated Press reported.
She was driving alone and no one was in the car she hit.
"Thankfully, no one was injured," Sen. Lugar said in a statement released by his office. "We are deeply sorry and embarrassed that this accident has occurred." The incident took place in the Lugars' neighborhood in McLean. Charlene Lugar's day in court has been scheduled for January.
Sightings: Double Kornheisers spotted at Morton's
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/19/09 9:00 PM
A patron at Morton's the Steakhouse in Georgetown was seeing double Wednesday as he sat at the bar with ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption" host Tony Kornheiser, one of our spies reports.
As the show was playing in the background, the patron noticed the real Kornheiser was wearing the same suit and tie as the Kornheiser on television. He then had to explain he had just finished taping the show to the gentleman, who kept looking back and forth between the two Kornheisers.
Also spotted walking on M Street toward the Four Seasons Hotel: Robin Williams in all black with three shopping bags in hand. Williams is performing two comedy shows this weekend at DAR Constitution Hall.
Political bad eggs of the decade
By: Nikki Schwab and Tara Palmeri
11/19/09 9:00 PM
With Thursday's reports out of Hollywood that Sen. John Kerry's daughter Alexandra was arrested on suspicion of DUI, the senator's daughter joins the list of prominent politicians' kids who have gotten in trouble with the law. Yeas & Nays took a look over the past decade to bring you the most prominent political offspring who were cited, charged or arrested for bad behavior.
The least offensive on the list is Vice President Biden's daughter Ashley, who was arrested in 2002 at the age of 21 on a charge of obstructing a police officer outside a Chicago bar when her friend threw a soda can at the cop.
In 2001, President George W. Bush's twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, were arrested at 19 for dabbling with alcohol. Barbara Bush was charged with underage possession, and Jenna Bush was charged with using a fake ID to buy a drink.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's daughter Noelle, then 24, was arrested in 2002 for calling in a fake prescription of Xanax at a Tallahassee Walgreens.
Robert Lugar, son of Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., was arrested in 2001 for marijuana possession in McCordsville. Lugar was pulled over for his expired plates, but once the sheriff caught a whiff of marijuana in the car, a plastic bag of weed was discovered under the Jeep's floor mat.
Few D.C. natives can forget the morning when Patrick Kennedy crashed his Ford Mustang into a Capitol Hill barricade in 2006. The...
