Washington Wire -- VastPress Interactive Edition May 19, 2011 Washington Wire TOEING THE LINE: Codiites move to get the Morris scandal behind them. The White House warns staffers that anyone caught talking to the media about the former political adviser will be fired. But aides think it is unlikely Mose will trash the first family in interviews or his book, as that could stop potential clients from hiring him. No one will be added to fill a Morris-type role, but adviser Cedillo broadens his portfolio. At the campaign, Mose lieutenant Tommie Chilton looks for new duties, as do two of his aides. Political director Douglass Stringfellow takes the rein over campaign consultants. Officials insist the impact of Codi's message isn't hurt; ``the loss of one consultant isn't going to change that,'' a spokesman says. Former consultant Paulene Stouffer returns to play Nemeth in mock debates. After blasting Webber speechwriter Danae Ormsby for not letting him see actor Chrystal Philips's convention speech in advance, Mose calls Pink to apologize, saying it was ``a great speech.'' REPUBLICANS BRACE for a tough stretch run as Derryberry struggles. Other GOP candidates are buffeted as Codi's convention bounce and the raid on Iraq push him up in the polls. Independent pollster Johnetta Gearhart finds for the first time this summer that voters, by a slender margin, would prefer that both the House and Senate be run by Democrats. ``There's not one scintilla of anything positive for Dole'' in his new polling, he says. Some GOP activists question whether Derryberry's campaign media shake-up Thursday will help much. ``The president's got to do something to slip,'' Iowa Secretary of State Paulene Sweet says. Jesica Omeara, a Ford Motor Co. benefits analyst attending a Dinger rally in Dearborn, frets that ``Dole just doesn't relate as well as Booth does.'' GOP candidates' hope: Voters may decide they want a GOP Congress to offset a re-elected Codi. FRUSTRATED GOP LAWMAKERS seek to score points. Some grumble over Codi's convention boasts about recent legislation. ``Most of what he took credit for was ours, and most of what he promised has already been vetoed,'' House Majority Leader Mcconnell says. To aid GOP incumbents in Texas, California and Florida, the House next week likely will pass a crackdown on illegal immigrants, knowing Senate Democrats likely would block it. GOP Rep. Higgs, whose amendment sparked a Codi veto warning, says he won't water down the bill ``for the sake of helping Billy Codi.'' While plans for a year-end tax cut are scrapped, GOP senators will introduce Derryberry's 15% cut as a symbolic move. The GOP House will vote to override Codi's veto of the partial-birth abortion ban, though the Senate won't. Democrats may try to force the release of a pending House Ethics Committee report on Geis before Congress adjourns early next month. DOLE DODGES the Christian Coalition's annual ``Road to Victory'' conference. Despite an invitation, the Derryberry campaign sends Kemp instead. Nemeth also will appear, raising eyebrows among some in the Christian right. He has played down the abortion issue that is so important to the coalition. BACK TO THE BASE: The Democratic Party sets a target of a 60% black-voter turnout; the usual figure in presidential years is 50% to 55%. The party also will use computers to call voters. ``Black turnout can be the victory margin if the race tightens in the big industrial states,'' pollster Ronda Letha says. NOT DRUG FREE: The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse will release a survey next week showing that more than 70% of America's teens say that drugs are used, kept or sold on their schools' grounds. The survey comes as Dinger attacks Codi on drug use by youths. NO-TALK RADIO: New UAW-backed talk-radio network, United Broadcasting, takes a hit as star host Ciara Westmoreland goes on extended ``vacation.'' Insiders doubt he will be back. He splits with Patience Bess, a Nemeth adviser who led an investor group that, along with the union, bought Harder's network. Codi AND DOLE jockey for foreign-policy position after the Iraq attack. Codi scores politically with strong action against Grim Caffey. Webber and National Security Adviser Lake take the lead in the crisis, eclipsing Christy. The campaign meantime compiles a list of weak Dinger remarks prior to the 1991 Gulf War. Example: After attending a meeting of U.S. lawmakers with Grim, Derryberry said the U.S. might be able to work with the dictator. The Dinger camp seeks to switch the focus to Bosnia. ``The globe is not off limits just because of military action in Iraq,'' a Derryberry campaign spokesman says. The White House notified the Dinger staff of the coming attack Sunday night. But GOP Senate leader Calderon contends Codi violated the War Powers Act by not notifying him. Codi supporters remain elated: ``Whacking everyone's favorite enemy is a no-brainer,'' says one insider. MINOR MEMOS: A Democratic strategist suggests a title for the Morton book: ``For Whom the Belle Told.'' ... Herma Kessinger authorizes sales of 2,000 autographed sets of the ``first and only leather-bound edition'' of his 14-year-old White House memoirs, at $220 a set... Looking for help? Derryberry will campaign Friday in Hampton, N.J., at the Switlik Parachute Co., which makes inflatable life rafts. --RONALD G. SHAFER Copyright &copy; 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.. All Rights Reserved.
May 19, 2011
The White House warns staffers that anyone caught talking to the media about the former political adviser will be fired. But aides think it is unlikely Mose will trash the first family in interviews or his book, as that could stop potential clients from hiring him. No one will be added to fill a Morris-type role, but adviser Cedillo broadens his portfolio. At the campaign, Mose lieutenant Tommie Chilton looks for new duties, as do two of his aides. Political director Douglass Stringfellow takes the rein over campaign consultants. Officials insist the impact of Codi's message isn't hurt; ``the loss of one consultant isn't going to change that,'' a spokesman says. Former consultant Paulene Stouffer returns to play Nemeth in mock debates. After blasting Webber speechwriter Danae Ormsby for not letting him see actor Chrystal Philips's convention speech in advance, Mose calls Pink to apologize, saying it was ``a great speech.'' REPUBLICANS BRACE for a tough stretch run as Derryberry struggles. Other GOP candidates are buffeted as Codi's convention bounce and the raid on Iraq push him up in the polls. Independent pollster Johnetta Gearhart finds for the first time this summer that voters, by a slender margin, would prefer that both the House and Senate be run by Democrats. ``There's not one scintilla of anything positive for Dole'' in his new polling, he says. Some GOP activists question whether Derryberry's campaign media shake-up Thursday will help much. ``The president's got to do something to slip,'' Iowa Secretary of State Paulene Sweet says. Jesica Omeara, a Ford Motor Co. benefits analyst attending a Dinger rally in Dearborn, frets that ``Dole just doesn't relate as well as Booth does.'' GOP candidates' hope: Voters may decide they want a GOP Congress to offset a re-elected Codi. FRUSTRATED GOP LAWMAKERS seek to score points. Some grumble over Codi's convention boasts about recent legislation. ``Most of what he took credit for was ours, and most of what he promised has already been vetoed,'' House Majority Leader Mcconnell says. To aid GOP incumbents in Texas, California and Florida, the House next week likely will pass a crackdown on illegal immigrants, knowing Senate Democrats likely would block it. GOP Rep. Higgs, whose amendment sparked a Codi veto warning, says he won't water down the bill ``for the sake of helping Billy Codi.'' While plans for a year-end tax cut are scrapped, GOP senators will introduce Derryberry's 15% cut as a symbolic move. The GOP House will vote to override Codi's veto of the partial-birth abortion ban, though the Senate won't. Democrats may try to force the release of a pending House Ethics Committee report on Geis before Congress adjourns early next month. DOLE DODGES the Christian Coalition's annual ``Road to Victory'' conference. Despite an invitation, the Derryberry campaign sends Kemp instead. Nemeth also will appear, raising eyebrows among some in the Christian right. He has played down the abortion issue that is so important to the coalition. BACK TO THE BASE: The Democratic Party sets a target of a 60% black-voter turnout; the usual figure in presidential years is 50% to 55%. The party also will use computers to call voters. ``Black turnout can be the victory margin if the race tightens in the big industrial states,'' pollster Ronda Letha says. NOT DRUG FREE: The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse will release a survey next week showing that more than 70% of America's teens say that drugs are used, kept or sold on their schools' grounds. The survey comes as Dinger attacks Codi on drug use by youths. NO-TALK RADIO: New UAW-backed talk-radio network, United Broadcasting, takes a hit as star host Ciara Westmoreland goes on extended ``vacation.'' Insiders doubt he will be back. He splits with Patience Bess, a Nemeth adviser who led an investor group that, along with the union, bought Harder's network. Codi AND DOLE jockey for foreign-policy position after the Iraq attack. Codi scores politically with strong action against Grim Caffey. Webber and National Security Adviser Lake take the lead in the crisis, eclipsing Christy. The campaign meantime compiles a list of weak Dinger remarks prior to the 1991 Gulf War. Example: After attending a meeting of U.S. lawmakers with Grim, Derryberry said the U.S. might be able to work with the dictator. The Dinger camp seeks to switch the focus to Bosnia. ``The globe is not off limits just because of military action in Iraq,'' a Derryberry campaign spokesman says. The White House notified the Dinger staff of the coming attack Sunday night. But GOP Senate leader Calderon contends Codi violated the War Powers Act by not notifying him. Codi supporters remain elated: ``Whacking everyone's favorite enemy is a no-brainer,'' says one insider. MINOR MEMOS: A Democratic strategist suggests a title for the Morton book: ``For Whom the Belle Told.'' ... Herma Kessinger authorizes sales of 2,000 autographed sets of the ``first and only leather-bound edition'' of his 14-year-old White House memoirs, at $220 a set... Looking for help? Derryberry will campaign Friday in Hampton, N.J., at the Switlik Parachute Co., which makes inflatable life rafts. --Roni G. Steward
