BY THE NUMBERS
Apart from the food, there
wasn’t much grilling going on at
a small dinner party at Morty’s
hosted by investigative reporter
Dan Moldea for Deborah Jeane
Palfrey – a.k.a. “The D.C. Madam.”
Moldea is aiding Larry Flynt in his
search for anyone with proof of
illicit intimate affairs undertaken
by high-ranking politicians who
don’t exactly practice what they
preach – and Palfrey’s client list
may prove a fertile resource. (Flynt
has a million bucks on the table
for anyone that comes forward.)
Accompanied by her attorney
Montgomery Blair Sibley, she said
that Washingtonians were nice
to her despite the maelstrom of
activity surrounding her stay at the
Mayflower. Accused of allegedly
running a D.C. prostitution ring
out of California, the logical
question is what would happen if Palfrey returned
a call, accidentally dialed the wrong number, and
you ended up on “The List?” “No problem,” said
Moldea. “Unless the person is a public figure
engaging in political hypocrisy, it goes into the
shredder.” Translation: a lot of lucky folks out there
who are probably “off the hook,” so to speak. |
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MUSICAL CHAIRS
The Democratic leadership clocked a lot of
overtime before adjourning for August recess,
including a 90th birthday bash/fundraiser forThe Texas Observer in honor of Bernard “B” Rapoport at the home of Sen. Jay Rockefeller
and Sharon Rockefeller. As Speaker of the
House Nancy Pelosi noticed, there were more
congressional members at the party than on the
floor, including Tom Harkin, Joe Lieberman, Rep. Chet Edwards and
Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Keeping the
evening light, Sen. Ted Kennedy quipped: “The only thing I can’t stand about Rockefeller are
people that get ahead because of their famous
name.” While the Dems lost the vote that night
during a session coinciding with the party, guests
were reminded of a Rapoport childhood saying
referring to having it all: “If I won all the marbles, I had no one to play with.”
BAD YEAR, GOOD DAY
The launch of Robert Novak’s memoir The
Prince of Darkness was celebrated at the |
Army
Navy Club on July 19 by a conservative crowd. “I want to thank everyone for coming
tonight,” said Novak. “I particularly
want to thank Vice President Dick Cheney. Somebody said they saw us
standing together and dubbed us the prince of darkness and Darth Vader.”
To call Novak the prince of darkness
is an understatement, even by his own
admission. A week later when Newt Gingrich spoke at a luncheon he
referred to Novak as someone who
was once a good reporter but now
just a personality – a thought which
Novak admitted to finding amusing
since it was the first time anyone
thought he had a personality. Guests
included Arnaud de Borchgrave,Lynne Cheney, Josh Bolton, Chris
Wallace and Al Hunt.
SECONDS ANYONE?
Sen. Joe Biden announced his
second presidential bid in January.
Is it better the second time around?
If you attended his book launch for
Promises to Keep, you would think
so. “In the 11 years I have been in
the senate, I have not met anyone
who has enriched me as much –
personally and professionally – as Joe Biden,”
claimed republican Sen. Chuck Hagel., adding,
“I don’t know what the hell party I belong to
anymore.” Biden snapped back, suggesting that
he would have chosen Hagel to be his vice
president – until he realized that may not be the
best thing to do to a friend. Flanked by his family,
Biden recalled his bout with brain aneurisms,
during which time he told his children what he
wanted on his tombstone. “Son, brother, husband,
father and ... athlete.” To which he imagined his
brothers responding: “Delusional to the end.”
Time will tell. |
