December 20, 2000 He's Gone! He's Back! By MAUREEN DOWD New York Times Bill Is Not Going Away. Ever. The man who was president and the woman who wants to be president are shopping for a lavish house in Washington's fanciest neighborhoods. Once more breaking rules, the Clintons will form a rival power base to the new president. (Not to mention a rival power base to poor Al Gore, who will have to slink across the river, back to Tipper's parents' modest home in Arlington, Va.) Just as the Bushes bided their time in Texas, plotting to reclaim the White House from the Clintons, now the Clintons will lurk only blocks away, plotting to reclaim the White House from the Bushes. Even as President Clinton warmly received his successor yesterday at the White House, he was coolly preparing to surround W., and steal attention from him, in an ingenious bit of territorial triangulation. With the Democrats hailing Mr. Clinton � and not Mr. Gore � as the man they want to lead them into the future, the departing president has installed his best friend and wallet, Terry McAuliffe, as head of the Democratic National Committee in Southeast Washington. Hillary will be in the Senate, up the street in Northeast. And Mr. Clinton, who told Dan Rather he would work for the next six months out of his transition office here, will be living in Northwest. The Clinton iron triangle, pinioning W. in the middle, will create an unprecedented second center of gravity, during a time when new presidents are traditionally free to begin in peace. "You're supposed to get out of town; it's just not classy to stay," said one local luminary. Now we'll have a government and a shadow government, a real president and a squatter president. (Although, since Al Gore picked up 130 more votes in an inspection of discarded ballots in Lake County, Fla., on Monday, some people may see both Mr. Bush and Mr. Clinton as pretenders. W. will be pretending he was elected president, and Bill will be pretending that W. wasn't.) The Clintons have always been estranged from the Washington grandees, so people here simply assumed that Bill and Hillary would rent a modest apartment near Capitol Hill and spend most of their time in New York, at what one Democrat dryly calls "their Potemkin house." But when Mrs. Clinton looked at a $4 million mansion in Georgetown that had once been owned by Jackie Kennedy's mother, a house where Jackie's wedding dress and bloodied pink suit from Dallas had once been stored in the attic, Washingtonians began to realize that the Clintons had far grander, gaudier designs � evoking the Kennedy dynasty. Even if Senator Clinton forsakes that house as too Marie Antoinette for a populist, she set a tone of overreaching. Hillary will most likely give issues soir�es for Mr. McAuliffe and the money people who will fuel her ambitions. Bill is keeping all his options open, so he looms like Sensurround: mayor of New York, Middle East peace negotiator, star of "The Bill Clinton Show" on TV, impresario of Hillary's political rise in Washington and of his own library in Little Rock. How can W., already looking tentative and facing economic and energy woes, compete with that? Bill Clinton first came into our consciousness at the Democratic convention in '88, making a keynote address for Michael Dukakis that went on so long that when he finally said "in conclusion," the audience cheered. The guy never could get off the stage. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/20/opinion/20DOWD.html -----Original Message----- From: Brian Lantz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Linda Minor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2000 11:04 AM Subject: Gore crowd being dumped from Democratic Party leadership >Here are three slugs. Note the last, on Gore crowd being dumped from our >party. > > >[Source: Washington Post, Dec 17: "In Silicon valley, No Time to be Jolly"] > >"SILICON VALLEY WILL BE ROCKED BY A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE IN 2001." This was the >forecast made by a Silicon Valley insider, an official of Round Zero >Organization whose "most extreme predictions", according to the {Post} "have >come true in past years." > >The {Post's} article includes several statements from Silicon Valley >executives, all predicting the end of the "New Economy." In particular, the >newspaper describes the desperate "we are at the end of the game-style" >Christmas parties held by the Silicon Valley elite. "A new sense of >restraint, if not woe, was obvious this month at Silicon Valley's holiday >parties." "It's like Rome is burning and we're picking up bad habits," said >an executive of one of the Valley's leading public relations firm. "I'd say >their portfolios have suffered a 50% meltdown, easy," said Michael Perkins, >co-author of "The internet bubble" referring to the Valley's party goers. > >The {Post} admits: "Such high-end Silicon Valley parties are becoming rarer >in these parsimonious days. Companies, ranging from consulting outfit >MarchFirst to the internet provider Excite, canceled their plans for lavish >holiday blasts. Others dramatically scaled down. For a while the Web of >Finance networking group was holding its parties in a bar, but now they've >moved to the host's loft. Guests bring raw vegetables, chips and cheap wine. >The truly hungry are invited to have one of the host's packets of roast beef >or chicken favoured noodles, which he buys by the 24-carton box.... One of >those with less money was David Huffman. `My net worth was in seven figures, >and then suddenly it was five'... Wasting money is now out. Cheap is in..." > >The Santa impersonator at the Web of Finance party explained: "Last year >everyone wanted an initial offering for their company or a rich husband. >This year, some just want a job." In fact "massage therapy, psychiatry, >yoga -- they are all booming. People are really stressed out, and they need >help." The most popular web-page in Silicon valley is now "Internet >Wasteland" which lists the 274 Net stocks that have plunged at least 80%. >"If one of the predictions attached to the Christmas tree at the Round Zero >organization's party comes true, there will soon be lots and lots of >apartments available [in Silicon valley], although they may not be >habitable," according to the {Post} Companies Executives foresee " purely >financial cataclysms...." One executive stressed: "Forget about everything >you've heard about a new economy where the old rules don't apply." > >Conclusion: "It will take more than a 50% haircut in the Nasdaq stock market >to eliminate the dreamy side of Silicon Valley." [uip] > > > > > >DEC. 17, (EIRNS)--PA. STATE REPS. INTRODUCE RESOLUTION TO NBCSL TO PROBE >VOTING IRREGULARITIES. Pennsylvania state representatives Harold James and >LeAnna Washington have successfully mobilized the National Black Caucus of >State Legislators to pres for federal and state hearings into voting >irregularities in the Nov. 7 Presidential elections. > >According to a Dec. 4 press released, issued by the Office of Democratic >Legislative Information of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, >``Reps. Harold James and LeAnna Washington introduced the resolutions, which >were unanimously adopted Friday during the National Black Caucus of State >Legislators meeting, in an effort to ensure that every person's vote, >especially those of African-Americans, does count.'' > >The press release quoted from Rep. James, who was recently elected NBCSL >regional chairman for Pennsylvania and New York: ``One of the most sacred >rights we have as American citizens is the right to vote, and the recent >presidential election, with its voter machine errors and confusing ballots, >have hampered that right. As a result, those voter irregularities may have >deliberately disenfranchised many African-American and other minority voters >in Florida and possibly nationwide. We felt an organization such as the >National Black Caucus of State Legislators, which is more than 400 members >strong of the policy makers of the 50 states, has a stronger voice than any >one state legislator.'' > >Citing the recent NAACP public hearings in Florida, at which voters gave >testimony about a variety of ways in which they were disenfranchised, Rep. >Washington noted, ``These tactics are an eerie reminder of the days of Jim >Crowe.'' > >The resolution, as presented by the two Pennsylvania legislators, called for >NBCSL members to work with local branches of the NAACP to gather evidence of >voting irregularities and pass the information to the Department of Justice; >to pressure the Attorney General to investigate the violations; and to lobby >Congress to conduct its own probe into the recent election. Rep. James also >announced that he would be introducing legislation in January to revamp >Pennsylvania's election procedures to insure that all voters have the full >and equal opportunity to see their votes counted. > >We expect to have the texts of four separate resolutions on this subject, >based on the James and Washington initiative, that were adopted by the >NBCSL, on Monday. [js_] > >[Sources: New York Times, AFP, Sunday, December 17, 2000.] > > > >NEW YORK TIMES FRONTPAGE HIGHLIGHTS CLINTONAUTS COUP AGAINST GORE IN >DEMOCRATIC PARTY HIERARCHY. In a frontpage story on Sunday, the New York >Times reported that ``Many Democrats Appear Skeptical of Gore's Future: >Clinton Seen as Leader.'' The banner headline piece featured extensive >statements by top Democratic Party officials, including Sen. Joe Biden, >former Gore campaign manager Tony Coehlo, and the chairmen of the New Jersey >and California Democratic Parties, all trashing Al Gore for his lousy >campaign, and touting President Bill Clinton as the true leader of the >Democratic Party. > >Commenting on Gore's hopes of winning the Democratic Party Presidential >nomination again in 2004, Biden chidled, ``Gee whiz, I wouldn't begrudge the >guy for wanting to try again. Ironically, the closeness of the election has >put a sheen back on him that I'm not sure can be sustained fo four years. It >will be an uphill battle for him to get the nomination again.'' > >Coehlo was even more blunt: ``Bill Clinton is the incumbent president and >the so-called last winner, so he is the de facto leader. He will be the one >that the party will depend on to raise money and to be a major voice in >whatever they're doing across the country.'' Coehlo cited the upcoming New >Jersey gubernatorial race as one crucial contest, where Clinton will >certainly be called on to rally the troops and raise the funds. > >Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, who lined up with Clinton to install >Terry McAuliffe as the new DNC chairman--replacing ousted Gore-man Joe >Andrew, also confirmed that Clinton would be the party's leader. ``He has >indicated to me,'' Daschle told the Times, ``that he will be helpful to work >with us in Congress to articulate our message and help with fundraising. He >is serious. He will always be the one who energizes our base. He enjoys a >depth of friendship and a network of relationships around the country that >is pretty remarkable.'' > >Sen. Robert Torricelli of New Jersey, who was one of the first Democrats to >call on Gore to concede the election, following the U.S. Supreme Court >ruling, also weighed in with Clinton to install McAuliffe as the new party >chair, telling the Times that McAuliffe's appointment ``ensures Clinton's >involvement'' in running the DNC. ``The nation is unaccustomed to having a >former president who is this young of age and who is likely to have this >continuing interest. That may all result in an extraordinary level of >involvement by Bill Clinton.'' Bill Richardson, the Energy Secretary, also >endorsed the idea of Clinton as party king. > >The Times twisted the knife in Al Gore a bit further, in the same story, by >noting that, from her new perch in the U.S. Senate, Hillary Clinton will >likely be the second most powerful figure in the Democratic Party, right >behind her husband. What;s more, the Times noted that many Democrats were >furious at Al Gore throughout the campaign for his refusal to highlights the >accomplishments of the Clinton Administration. New Jersey Democratic Party >chairman Tom Giblin said, ``You don't get a prize for second place. It's >going to be very difficult for Al Gore to come back.'' > >One of the few Democrats interviewed by the Times who was not willing to be >quoted by name made one of the most telling comments. Described as one of >Gore's closest friends on the Hill, the person said, ``If you ask for his >list of closest friends in Congress, there is no list.'' > >In a similar story, AFP on Sunday also cited the Clintons as the reigning >powers within the Democratic Party, ``for years to come,'' particularly with >the ascendency of Terry McAuliffe to the party chairmanship, and the >anticipation that he will be joined at the DNC by Bill Richardson and Alexis >Herman--both strong Clinton allies and boosters. [js_] > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Linda Minor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: Brian Lantz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2000 5:18 PM >Subject: Fw: [CIA-DRUGS] Fwd: [narconews] Village Voice: "Drug War Goes on >Trial" 12/20/00 > > >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2000 11:00 AM >> Subject: [CIA-DRUGS] Fwd: [narconews] Village Voice: "Drug War Goes on >> Trial" 12/20/00 >> >> >> > >> > >> >-------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> >> >eGroups eLerts >> >It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free! >> >http://click.egroups.com/1/9698/0/_/475667/_/977245245/ >> >---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> >> > >> > >> > >> >
