Talking Points: July 9

Can Kevin Madden steer the Romney campaign onto the right course?

Republicans clamoring for a big shakeup will see more of Madden, the cool and collected voice of Romney’s 2008 campaign and someone who is used to walking into calamitous political situations.

Madden arrived onto the Capitol Hill scene in 2005, serving as spokesman for embattled and indicted House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas and his successor, Ohio’s John Boehner, now House speaker. Madden is liked by the press and has no history of contradicting the candidate in his many television appearances on Romney’s behalf.

Who from D.C. is going to investigate Pepco?

The utility giant will have to answer to the D.C. Council and the District’s Public Service Commission after the storm on June 29 prompted widespread power outages. The council will hold a hearing Friday about the company’s performance, and lawmakers are considering a full investigation. The city’s utility regulator has also requested information from Pepco and plans a probe of its own.

What’s the heat index?

The heat index is a measure of what the actual temperature feels like when it’s combined with humidity levels in the air. High humidity makes air temperatures feel warmer, so the heat index gives forecasters and the public a better idea of how much heat humans will perceive. In the D.C. area, heat indices have regularly surpassed 100 degrees in recent days, and many governments roll out special precautions when the heat index reaches 95 degrees.

Related Content