(Please update all links, RSS readers, and bookmarks.)

New year, new site — right? Figured it was time.

But while I’ve got a minute, I wanted to give a quick thanks to everyone who’s been reading.

This blog started as a class project. Initially, I’d only sent the link to a few of my friends back home, in an effort to force them to learn about DC current events. (I’m breaking them out of the SoCal bubble, FYI. They’ll thank me later.)

Since then, though, I’ve received emails, comments, and two real-world writing opportunities as a result of my ramblings here. And I’m clocking out at just under 6,000 visitors. (Granted, half of those hits are probably from my mom, but still.)

So? Thanks for reading, thanks for writing, and thanks for spreading the word.

Hope you’ll continue.

-Melissa

If the Shoe Fits...Aim for Dubya?

When it comes to objective political reporting, the New York Post isn’t exactly a shining beacon of journalistic excellence.

Still, I’m a total sucker for their clever headlines.

Love it or hate it, the Post remains on top of its game when it comes to snarky, screaming cover lines. Monday’s issue — referencing the now-ubiqitious incident where an Iraqi reporter hurled a pair of shoes at President Bush –  was another classic.

(Also, golf claps for President Bush’s impressive reflexes — ‘Dubs dodged those things like nobody’s business. Don’t mess with Texas, right?)

by Melissa Harrison

Al Franken and Norm Coleman are deadlocked in the last outstanding race of the 2008 Election -- and the Senate itself may decide the winner.

As the clock ticks down toward the 111th Congress, the Senate might find itself in the position of having to play arbiter in the last outstanding federal race in the 2008 election: Minnesota’s epic battle between Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.

But such action would be a last resort for the Senate, and would come only after all other state options have been exhausted, according to the Senate historian and outside experts.

The Minnesota State Canvassing Board will meet Tuesday to start reviewing contested ballots in the race. But with the winner’s margin expected to be thin, the possibility of a court challenge looms,  and could force the Senate to resolve the dispute.

“The Senate is the final arbiter in determining a candidate’s eligibility to join. Constitutionally, they have the final authority in deciding who is elected,” said Steven Smith, a political science professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

Generally, the Senate accepts whomever the state certifies as the winner, but it could divert course if there is a significant dispute over the remaining ballots, or a very close final tally, said Smith.

“Senate rules dictate that this matter could be referred to a committee — most likely Rules and Administration. They could then conduct their own investigation with the intention of resolving the election,” said Smith.

Statements from top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Reid – who called the state board’s decision to decline Franken’s request to review rejected ballots “a cause for great concern” — have upped the potential for the Senate to step in.

The last time that happened was after the 1996 Louisiana race between Republican Woody Jenkins and now-Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu.

Jenkins lost the general election by fewer than 6,000 votes, and took the case to the Republican-controlled Senate, claiming voter fraud. In October of 1997, the Rules Committee voted to end the inquiry and upheld Landrieu’s victory.

Prior to that, the 1974 New Hampshire race between Democratic Sen. John Durkin and Republican Louis Wyman saw the Senate weigh in. Multiple recounts eventually prompted the Senate to order another election, which Durkin won.

But the process was “drawn-out, difficult, and best left to the state,” according to Senate historian Richard Baker.

“There were three different recounts with three different totals,” he noted. “The Senate realized that the national level wasn’t the place to solve this thing, and they sent it back to the state. There’s at least a hint of that in what might happen for Minnesota.”

Smith agreed, and said he doubts the Senate will choose to get involved, opting instead to focus on more pressing legislative matters as the administration changes over.

He predicts the Democratic-controlled Senate will be cautious in exercising their majority advantage over this issue and avoid giving the GOP more of a reason to block legislation or otherwise retaliate against Democratic initiatives.

“Congressional leaders as well as President-elect Obama and his team are showing signs that they want to get past harsh partisanship,” said Smith, pointing to the Senate’s treatment of Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman as an example.

Senate Democrats — who were upset with Lieberman for his strong support of Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona, his speech at the Republican National Convention and sharp criticism of Obama — allowed him to retain his chairmanship, although he was forced to give up another committee assignment.

“Given everything that’s already going on with the economic and auto issues, I think Senate Democrats will be very wary of stepping in and making [the Minnesota race] a serious issue,” Smith said.

Life's a 'Vich: The governor of Illinois was arrested Tuesday amid charges of corruption, conspiracy, and bribery.

In the morning, there’s nothing better to wake up to than a round of FBI agents dragging you out of bed, handcuffing you, and informing you that you’re under arrest for a “political corruption crime spree.“

Just ask the governor of Illinois.

He was accused yesterday of, among other things, conspiring to sell President-elect Obama’s Senate seat in exchange for a hefty cash sum and lucrative jobs for he and his wife, Patti.

“I’ve got this thing and it’s [expletive] golden. I’m not gonna give it up for [expletive] nothing,” wiretaps revealed Blagojevich to say about the Senate vacancy.

The 78-page complaint against him included a bundle of profanity-laced quotes  — the tough-guy talk punctuated with 18 F-Bombs from the ever-so-eloquent Blago himself.

Blagojevich faces charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and solicitation to commit bribery. Combined, the charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail.

by Melissa Harrison

Business leaders are forecasting sharp economic declines for the fourth quarter of this year, with companies expected to take hits in sales, capital expenditures and employment. That’s according to results of a November survey of 160 chief executive officers released today by the Business Roundtable.

“We are committed to working with the new administration and Congress to restore economic growth through bipartisan solutions to the complex challenges facing our workers and businesses,” said Harold McGraw III, chairman of the Business Roundtable and chairman, president and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

The latest survey results show 45 percent of CEOs expect their sales to drop in the next six months, while 38 percent see an increase; 52 percent expect their firms’ capital spending to decline, while 39 percent expect no change and only 10 percent see an increase; and 60 percent expect their workforce to drop, while 32 percent expect no change and 9 percent expect an increase. The CEOs also estimated 0 percent growth in GDP for FY09.

McGraw, citing the recession and the strains he said are forcing companies to tighten their financial belts, was optimistic that a stimulus package, if passed immediately, could lead to increased sales, capital spending and employment as early as the third quarter of next year.

McGraw cited tax rebates, extended unemployment benefits and increased infrastructure projects as key elements needed in any stimulus package, but acknowledged that the amount of emphasis that Congress places on each category is just as vital.

“Rebates alone will not be enough. There must be more weight on infrastructure projects at the state and community levels,” said McGraw. “Working with Congress and the new administration to help get those weights correct is what we will be doing.”

Today marks the Senate run-off election in Georgia, in which Republican Saxby Chambliss is fighting for a second term against Democrat Jim Martin. (It’s one of two races — the other in Minnesota — with results still outstanding.)

So, what’s a pair of Georgian politicians to do at the last minute to muster up a wave of votes? Bring in the big guns, of course.

If you’re Jim Martin, that means rounding up your posse of chart-topping rappers: Atlanta-based Ludacris, Young Jeezy, and T.I.

Bring 'Em Out: T.I. (pictured), Ludacris and Young Jeezy, spoke out on behalf of Jim "Shake Yo' Money Maker" Martin.

And if you’re Saxby Chambliss, that means calling in Sarah Palin.

Sarah Palin, sans hip-hop entourage, stumped for Saxby Chambliss. The two then bonded over their shared nickname, "Sa."

Bonus points to the media outlets that recognized the slightly absurd mish-mash of personalities and wrote their headlines accordingly:

• [on T.I.:] Martin Cavorts With Convicted Felon

• [on Palin:] The Devil Went Down to Georgia

These days, between gym sessions and puppy-searching, President-elect Barack Obama has far less time for church.

Obama Skips Church, Heads to Gym

Obama has yet to attend church since being elected President, instead opting to spend his free time working out, reports Politico. In contrast, former President Bill Clinton and, most recently, George W. Bush both attended post-election services.

“On his first day as president-elect, following weeks of Florida recounts and court hearings, Bush…attended an invite-only prayer service. During the service, the Rev. Mark Craig, senior pastor at Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, told Bush, “You have been chosen by God to lead the people.”

Yep. And we all know how well that turned out.

Generally Speaking: Colin Powell and the Fall '08 WCPJ class.

During my time here, I’ve been fortunate enough to speak with people — politicians, pundits, journalists — that I have immense respect and admiration for.

That being said, Colin Powell takes the cake.

Powell was WCPJ’s keynote speaker this semester. Our 12-person class trekked it to his offices in Alexandria yesterday for an hour-long chat with the General. He answered our questions — on everything from his time in the Bush administration, to his endorsement of Obama, to the changing state of journalism and his preferred morning news sources — with all of the intellect, eloquence, and engagement that one would expect from a former Secretary of State. But he also mixed in a healthy dose of dry wit and self-deprecating charm that made him come across as entirely relatable and down-to-earth.

Plus, any 71-year-old that manages to effortlessly name-drop iPhones, Kindles, Skype, and Guitar Hero into a conversation scores massive points in my book. The man is unapologetically computer-savvy and up-to-date on tech gadgets.

And for that, CP? Three cheers.

]]> http://melissaharrison.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/qa-colin-powell/feed/ 0 Melissa colin-powell http://melissaharrison.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/this-week-in-photos/ http://melissaharrison.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/this-week-in-photos/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:35:50 +0000 melissaharrison http://melissaharrison.wordpress.com/?p=256 ]]>

While young voters preferred Obama over McCain by more than 2:1, pollsters are debating whether their vote mattered as much as predicted.

After all the buzz that we heard about the youth vote — that they were going to turn out in droves, shatter previous records, and effectively make this their election — the question remains: Did they?

Sort of.

Yes, more young voters participated in this election than ever before, with 61% of eligible youngsters casting their ballot. But that’s only a 1% increase (or 2.2 million) from the previous record set in 2004. In short: despite record numbers, the youth vote essentially stayed the same. As Politico sums up: That Huge Voter Turnout? Didn’t Happen.

That’s not to say that young voters didn’t play a large part in shaping the electorate. As predicted, youngsters overwhelmingly preferred Obama by 68% to 30%, and that support helped carry the swing states that were crucial to his victory. In Ohio, Florida and Virginia — all of which switched from red to blue during this election cycle — at least 75% of voters were under the age of 30.

“[The youth vote] turned states that [Obama] would’ve lost or barely won into more comfortable margins,” says John Della Volpe, the director of polling for the Harvard University Institute of Politics. “Not only are they voting in higher numbers, they’re voting more Democratic.”

Blingin' It: Piper Palin clutches a McDonalds beverage and a Louis Vuitton handbag. How's that for mixing high-end and low-end?

Sarah Palin’s Clothes: GOP Lawyer Dispatched to Alaska to Retrieve Some

Reps from the Republican National Committee head to Sarah Palin’s hometown to take back the remainder of the $150,000 batch of designer duds that were purchased for the former VP-nominee and her family during the campaign.

Shoutout to Piper: I feel your pain. Having to part with a designer purse can be devastating.

Especially to a 7-year-old.