Politics Daily

Obama Lobbies for Health Care Votes, Pressure Mounts on Democrats

Patricia Murphy — 2009-11-07T10:55:00 00:00

President Obama went to Capitol Hill Saturday morning to press fellow Democrats to vote for the trillion-dollar health care reform bill that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership unveiled last week. The bill would expand access to health care insurance through a public health insurance option and subsidies for low and middle income consumers. It is paid for, in part, through tax increases on individuals making more $500,000 per year.

As the president emerged from his motorcade to go into the Capitol, a group of protesters shouted at him and waved signs saying "Kill the bill!" "Kill the Pelosi Bill!" Following the closed-door session with House members, White House spokesman Bill Burton said that the president told House Democrats that "we should take this historic opportunity to pass health care reform so that he can sign a bill by the end of this year." Burton also said that spontaneous chants of "Fired up, ready to go" came from some members as the president left the meeting.

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Obama Mourns Fort Hood Soldiers, Plans Tuesday Trip There For Memorial Service

Lynn Sweet — 2009-11-07T10:00:00 00:00

(Updated 1:48 p.m. eastern time) President Obama wove two themes together for his weekly Saturday address: the tragic shootings at Fort Hood this week where13 people were killed and Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

On Saturday, the White House announced that Obama and First Lady Michelle will travel to Fort Hood, Texas for a memorial service on Tuesday. In his weekly address-webcast at www.whitehouse.gov and a radio broadcast, Obama once again spoke to the horror of the Thursday massacre, apparently carried out by a U.S. Army major.

"It is an act of violence that would have been heartbreaking had it occurred anyplace in America," Obama said. "It is a crime that would have horrified us had its victims been Americans of any background. But it's all the more heartbreaking and all the more despicable because of the place where it occurred and the patriots who were its victims."

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Sarah Palin To Speak at Gridiron Dinner

Lynn Sweet — 2009-11-07T10:00:00 00:00

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has her issues with how journalists treated her during her 2008 vice presidential bid, has accepted an invitation to be a headliner at The Gridiron Club winter dinner -- a gathering of an exclusive group of Washington reporters.

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Director of '2012' Destroys Rome, Spares Mecca

David Gibson — 2009-11-07T05:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Iran, Religion, Terror, Culture, Disputations, News Media

No one would ever accuse director Roland Emmerich of being subtle or shy. The German-born filmmaker has blown up or mowed down just about everything on Earth in movies from "Independence Day" (bye-bye, White House!) to "Godzilla" (sayonara, Manhattan!) to "The Day After Tomorrow" (welcome to our world, Antarctica!).

As for religion, he also takes no prisoners. He is openly gay and a fairly "outlandish provocateur," as he himself boasts. His London home features a wax sculpture of Pope John Paul II laughing as he reads his own obituary (sitting under the stair, like Harry Potter), and a Photoshopped picture of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "wearing an open dressing gown revealing a hairy six-pack."

"I would like to erase all nations and religions," as Emmerich put it to an interviewer in 2008.

Yet in his new big-screen, high-tech, end-of-the-world (again) thriller, "2012," Emmerich seems to have lost his nerve -- at least when it comes to Islam.

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What's in Michelle Obama's Closet?

Lynn Sweet — 2009-11-06T19:07:00 00:00

Filed under: The Daily FLOTUS with Lynn Sweet

What's in First Lady Michelle Obama's closet?

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Obama Visits Wounded Soldiers At Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Lynn Sweet — 2009-11-06T18:57:00 00:00

The day after a massacre at Fort Hood, President Obama visited the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington late Friday. The visit was planned before a shooting rampage left 13 people killed and 30 wounded. Still, the contrast is striking: soldiers hurt while fighting two wars, and those killed and hurt Thursday at a Texas military post, where the suspect is an Army major.

The visit was private and lasted 30 or 40 minutes longer than the hour Obama had been expected to spend visiting wounded soldiers. Deputy Press secretary Tommy Vietor told the print pool, ``While at Walter Reed, the president visited with 19 soldiers, three families of soldiers in the ICU, as well as hospital staff. The President also awarded two Purple Hearts."

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama will attend a memorial service for the Fort Hood victims, to be scheduled later.

(Updated 1:50 p.m. eastern time Saturday) The White House on Saturday announced that President Obama and First Lady Michelle will attend a memorial service at Fort Hood on Tuesday.

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Hillary Clinton To Lead U.S. Delegation At Berlin Wall

Christopher Weber — 2009-11-06T18:28:00 00:00

Filed under: Hillary Clinton, Foreign Policy, Obama Administration

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will lead the U.S. delegation to Germany for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the White House has announced

The delegation for next week's ceremony will include the U.S. ambassador to Germany, Philip Murphy, and German Marshall Fund President Craig Kennedy, the Associated Press reported. Also traveling with Clinton will be Brett Scowcroft, a top aide to Presidents Ford and George H.W. Bush, and President Carter's aide Zbigniew Brzezinski.

The German capital will be the site of a weeklong celebration of the fall of the wall that divided Germany for much of the Cold War. Chancellor Angela Merkel will host a number of European heads of state and other current and former world leaders, including one-time Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev.

The schedule of events includes open air concerts, special exhibits, and a grand fireworks display, the VOA reported.

Before the celebrations begin, Clinton will deliver Sunday what the White House is calling a "major policy address" to The Atlantic Council, a group that seeks to improve U.S.-European relations.

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Men's Group Tells Rihanna to 'Woman Up'

Helena Andrews — 2009-11-06T16:38:00 00:00

Filed under: Woman Up, Culture

On Thursday, the National Coalition for Men (yeah, me neither) released a statement calling on pop princess Rihanna, the very public victim of physical abuse at the hands of her fellow chart-topping ex-boyfy Chris Brown, to "woman up" and accept responsibility for her role in their now infamous battle royale.

In an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer, which airs at 10 tonight on "20/20," Rihanna will for the first time talk about what happened that night, and the NCFM says the "Disturbia" singer isn't telling the whole truth.

"According to court records and other sources, Rihanna struck Brown in the face 'numerous times' before Brown assaulted her. NCFM purports [that] although that would not justify his more severe assault, her violence should not be ignored, and if she does not 'woman up' to it, then her message will be the usual one-sided double standard that leaves female perpetration covered up," the statement reads.

On its Web site (registered at an always-authoritative-seeming ".org"), NCFM attempts to dispel what it calls two "myths" about DV: 1) Men are rarely victims of domestic violence and 2) Most DV by women is in self-defense. According to the coalition, half of domestic violence victims are men, and women "commit DV for the same reasons men do . . . usually to 'get through to them.'" Self-defense was among women's least common motives, says the site.

By now, many of us have seen the picture of Rihanna's bruised and battered face that was leaked by two female police officers immediately after the night in question. No such picture of Brown was taken, which is not to say he got away unscathed. In August, Brown was sentenced to five years' probation and 1,400 hours of "labor oriented" community service.

But should Rihanna, who according to some reports struck Brown first, have been on trial too? Does "woman-ing up" mean that all's fair in love and war? Or does the fairer sex get a free pass when it comes to physical violence? As always, I turn to pop culture to answer life's enigmas. Last night while catching up on the ABC sitcom "Modern Family," via Hulu, I realized some fights are never fair.

In the episode entitled "En Garde," the lovably rotund 9-year-old Manny is a fencing phenom until he refuses to joust with a girl. "Why? Because men are always so superior?" asks his mother, who gives him a pep talk/equality/women's lib speech that sends him back into the ring or whatever. "Expect no mercy," Manny tells his opponent, a cute little girl who stares him dead in the eye and deadpans, "Bring it on, big boy."
Of course, Manny "The Merciless" totally destroys his opponent -- a diabetic orphan, we learn later.

It's supposed to be funny . . . victory (equality) not being as sweet as it sounds.

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Fort Hood Shock: A Reader Weighs In

Donna Trussell — 2009-11-06T15:44:00 00:00

Filed under: Woman Up

The new Politics Daily comment moderators are not yet up to speed, so a few of us writers are filling in. I'm getting a taste of what the moderators will soon face.

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Lynn Sweet Talks Elections and Health Care on 'The Diane Rehm Show'

Colin McDonald — 2009-11-06T15:31:00 00:00

Filed under: Sweet Corn etc...

Politics Daily columnist and Daily FLOTUS writer Lynn Sweet appeared on The Diane Rehm Show on Friday to discuss Tuesday's elections, the House's upcoming health care reform vote, and other top news. Audio of the show is available here.

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Chaos Theory - Unemployment: No Profession Spared

Robert and Donna Trussell — 2009-11-06T13:45:00 00:00

Filed under: Chaos Theory

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Soldiers 'Confused and Shocked' by Fort Hood Shootings

Christina Dowsett — 2009-11-06T13:07:00 00:00

Filed under: The Cram

FORT HOOD, Texas -- Lindsey Berryman, a 22-year-old in the military reserves, was going to do errands on base Thursday, but decided against it and stayed home. It wasn't until her phone exploded with calls from friends and family making sure she wasn't hurt that she found out about the shootings.

"Even coming home, there were neighbors that you never see out talking to each other," she said. "We needed to start figuring out who was around us."

At first, she found it hard to believe what was happening. "Where do I start?" she said. "Who do I call? What do I do? Do I need to go pick my son up?"

Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the commanding officer at Fort Hood, tried to ease lingering fears.

"It is truly overwhelming the offers of support we have had from around the nation," the general said Thursday evening. On Friday at Fort Hood, he said, "we return to normalcy, schools will be open."

He added that the post will "increase our security presence in the coming days," but added: "We do not carry weapons. This is our home."

Despite assurances from the post's leadership, some may need more time to readjust to daily life at Fort Hood.

"I was confused and just shocked," said Spc. Jerry Richard, 27, who was not on duty during the shootings. "Overseas you are ready for it. But here you can't even defend yourself."

The above story is an edited version of Christina Dowsett's reporting on the Fort Hood shootings for the North Texas Daily, the student newspaper at the University of North Texas.

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Gavin Newsom Drops Out, but Does California Wake Up?

Frances Tobin — 2009-11-06T13:00:00 00:00

Filed under: The Cram

For most following the California gubernatorial race, it wasn't all that surprising that Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco, decided to withdraw. Newsom, a Democrat who announced his candidacy via Twitter this past April, was always seen as a long-shot contender -- California Attorney General Jerry Brown, the state's former two-term governor who served before term limits were enacted, is an established politician who has widely been considered the front runner (though he hasn't officially declared).

But Brown was not Newsom's only obstacle; there was also the issue of money. When he ran for mayor in 2003, Newsom raised almost $6 million -- an impressive sum by almost any standard -- but according to the California Secretary of State's Office, he was only able to raise about $3 million for his gubernatorial campaign efforts.

His hometown paper, the San Francisco Chronicle, which cited the aforementioned funding numbers, perhaps said it best, though: "Newsom could use a wake-up call."

"Newsom's campaign wasn't sputtering. It never got off the ground," says Chronicle columnist C.W. Nevius. Sure, in his seven years in office he's taken on popular issues with his constituents -- marriage equality and health care, environment, and technology initiatives -- but Newsom's always been marred by what Nevius calls his "personal style." "He occasionally flashes a self-deprecating sense of humor, but people often mention his self-absorption and lack of interest in others," says Nevius.

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Steny Hoyer: House Health Care Vote May Be Delayed, Abortion Funding Key Sticking Point

Patricia Murphy — 2009-11-06T12:53:00 00:00

Filed under: House, Health Care, The Capitolist

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Friday the vote by the House of Representatives on health care reform, expected to come on Saturday, could slip into next week as conflicts over insurance coverage for illegal immigrants, as well as federal funding for abortion, continue to bog down Democrats' efforts to secure 218 votes for final passage.

Hoyer said it was never the intent of the bill to open the possibility of funding for abortion, and he still does not believe the measure would allow it. "We want to make sure members are comfortable with that reality." On the question of benefits for illegal immigrats, he said, "We want to make sure that undocumented immigrants do not receive federal assistance through this program."

Hoyer said he expects the House will finish its business late Saturday night, but leaders are preparing for the possibility that the vote may come on Monday or Tuesday.

In addition to Hoyer's news of a possible delay, President Obama canceled a trip to Capitol Hill, planned for today to secure final commitments on the bill, to focus on the aftermath of Thursday's shootings at Fort Hood.

Even after the House passes its bill, Hoyer predicted conference-committee work to combine the House and Senate versions will be "relatively lengthy and difficult because of the differences."

Finally, Hoyer warned that continued delay on the bill will only hurt Americans who are struggling to pay for health insurance and health care. "We simply cannot afford not to act," he said.

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It's Crunch Time on Jobs, and Time for Obama to Make His Move

Jill Lawrence — 2009-11-06T12:40:00 00:00

Filed under: Economy, Health Care

There's no way to spin your way out of the highest unemployment rate in 26 years. There's probably no way to blame it on your predecessor, either. The only way for President Obama to fix this political problem is to fix the actual problem, or at least seem like he's trying extremely hard.

The Labor Department's stunning announcement of a 10.2 percent jobless rate is the second blow in a week for Obama and the Democrats. The first came in Tuesday's elections, when exit polls in New Jersey and Virginia showed widespread concern about the economy. Incumbents and their parties lost big in both states.

Presidents may inherit good economies or bad ones, and they can't do much to control economic trends. Still, they almost invariably get the blame or the credit for what happens on their watch.

White House aides have been discussing ways to accelerate job creation for months. On Friday, signing a bill that cuts business taxes and extends unemployment benefits and homebuyer tax credits, Obama said those ideas include "additional investments in our aging roads and bridges, incentives to encourage families and businesses to make buildings more energy efficient, additional tax cuts for businesses to create jobs, additional steps to increase the flow of credit to small businesses, and an aggressive agenda to promote exports and help American manufacturers sell their products around the world."

If Obama is a smart politician, and usually he is, the double jolt of the election and the jobs report should make this the moment he ends the deliberations and moves into an action phase. The recession is ruining and constricting American lives everyday. Some people will never recover financially or psychologically. And the political consequences of less-than-bold moves could be devastating in next year's congressional elections.

The Tuesday results, particularly Republican Bob McDonnell's victory in the Virginia governor's race, set the terms of political debate for the next 12 months. The jobs report reinforced that in spades, providing instant ammunition to conservatives and Republicans. Within minutes of its release, they seized on it as evidence that the Obama stimulus plan is not working. "The numbers speak for themselves," the Heritage Foundation said.

House Republican leader John Boehner said more than 3 million private-sector jobs have been lost since the "stimulus" -- his quotation marks -- was signed into law. "Americans are asking, 'Where are the jobs?' but all they've gotten from Democrats in Washington is more spending and more debt," he said.

Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele said Obama and his administration should stop with the "phony 'saved or created' talking points" about the stimulus plan. "President Obama promised jobs during his campaign for president, and the elections in Virginia and New Jersey on Tuesday were a clear referendum on his failure to deliver on this promise," Steele said.

The White House and its allies argued that the economic glass is both half full and half empty. Obama pointed to 3.5 percent GDP growth in the third quarter and said his administration had stopped "the free fall that caused our economy to shrink at an alarming rate." He also said, however, that "job growth always lags behind economic growth, which is why we have to continue to pursue measures that will create new jobs."

Christina Romer, chairwoman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said in a blog post that the Labor Department report contained "both signs of hope for recovery and painful evidence of continued labor market weakness." Job losses are abating, Romer said, and employment rose in the temporary hiring sector -- often a leading indicator of broader improvement. The motor vehicle industry also posted gains. "These are hopeful signs that the unprecedented policy actions are working to stabilize the economy and put us on a path toward recovery," she said.

Since its all-out effort for the stimulus package last winter, the administration has been taking smaller, less publicized steps to try to goose the economy. But its main focus has been on health reform. That may have to change now, even if it means the Senate doesn't get to health until next year.

That's not to say people have suddenly fallen in love with our health care system. In fact, CNN just released a poll in which 59 percent of the public said Congress should keep working on health care reform bills. But in the same Oct. 30-Nov.1 poll, 47 percent rated the economy the most important issue facing the country today. Health was a distant second at 17 percent. (For those who'd argue that Congress should not spend borrowed money to create jobs, the deficit was in fourth place, just behind the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan).

There are some economic proposals, such as giving employers a tax credit for jobs they create, that have supporters from across the political spectrum. It's possible they could pass quickly. That will be more likely when and if Obama lays out what he wants and makes clear he's serious about getting it done.

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New York Republicans Consider Punishing Dede Scozzafava for Backing Dem

David Sessions — 2009-11-06T12:07:00 00:00

Filed under: Republicans, Conservatives, Moderates

Republican leaders in New York are raising the possibility of "punishing" state Rep. Dede Scozzafava, who withdrew from the race for Congress in New York's 23rd district and endorsed a Democrat, the Los Angeles Times' Top of the Ticket reports. Scozzafava endorsed Bill Owens after national Republicans backed third-party candidate Doug Hoffman and undermined support for her campaign. Conservatives said Scozzafava, who supports gay rights and abortion rights, was too liberal to run as a Republican.

New York Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb has been holding meetings with Scozzafava, in which he expressed his displeasure with her endorsement. He has openly floated the idea of removing her as the GOP floor leader. Scozzafava, meanwhile, has said she might not run for a seventh term in the state assembly next year. She reportedly told Kolb she's sorry if her endorsement put him in an "awkward position," but apparently stands by her decision.

"If this is my end, so be it," she told the Watertown Daily Times. "At least I know we have a congressional representative who is going to put the interests of the district above the interests of the Club for Growth and the Rush Limbaughs of the world."

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'It's Really Scary': Texas College Students React to Fort Hood Shootings

Amber Arnold — 2009-11-06T11:44:00 00:00

Filed under: The Cram

Stephanie Hughes sat watching coverage of the Fort Hood shooting on television Thursday in the Syndicate at the University of North Texas. An ROTC cadet, Hughes has friends stationed at Fort Hood.

"It's really scary," she said, not taking her eyes off the TV. "It was where they were about to be deployed. Their families were scared enough as it is."

Hughes, a kinesiology junior, said she was surprised that the suspected shooter, an Army psychiatrist, would be capable of such a thing. Students across campus have had a strong emotional response to the emerging details about the shooting.

Lt. Gen. Bob Cone, the Fort Hood commander, said Thursday evening it was important for Americans to cope with the aftermath through grief counseling and security.

Gov. Rick Perry, speaking at a press conference Thursday afternoon at UNT's Gateway Center, said "today's events are just a reminder for all of us about the important relationship that we have with our military in the state of Texas."

"Those communities where those military bases are specifically are a great support mechanisms for the men and women of our military."

To honor the victims, Perry ordered all flags across the state to be flown at half-staff until Sunday.

Cone said his primary concerns right now are caring for the wounded and increasing security on the military base.

"This post is no longer locked down as you can see, but we will continue to operate at a heightened level of security, as well as continue to investigate to insure that no threats remain," Cone said. "We will continue to focus on casualty assistance efforts, including casualty notification and grief counseling."

Marine reserve Cory Sockwell believed the base should have had enough security to prevent an event like this from happening. "To tell you the truth, I'm angry," said Sockwell, a political science sophomore.

"Soldiers are already out in Iraq being shot at, and they shouldn't have to deal with it here," he said. "As a military person, I hate seeing other military people killed like that."

The above story is an edited version of Amber Arnold's reporting on the Fort Hood shooting for the North Texas Daily, the University of North Texas's student newspaper.

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Beneath the Ugly Signs, Fear and Frustration Dominate 'House Call' Protest

Patricia Murphy — 2009-11-06T11:39:00 00:00

Filed under: Economy, Health Care, Taxes, The Capitolist

In front of the steps where President Obama was sworn into office in January, one protester's sign at the Capitol Hill House Call on Thursday asked, "Ken-ya Trust Obama?" Another featured a pile of lifeless bodies from the Dachau concentration camp under the banner, "National Socialist Health Care."

The images were disturbing, disgusting and impossible to miss. But they were also vastly outnumbered by the thousands of other hand-made posters, most written with red and blue markers, that bobbed up and down in the crowd as the event began and country music played over the loudspeakers.

"This is one Angry Mom!" read one sign. "Rx for America: Freedom!" said another. "My Congressman is Crazy!" another one asserted, alongside a large photograph of Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.).

Kristinn Taylor co-founded the conservative group Free Republic and says that the most incendiary signs on the Capitol lawn did not represent the massive movement that he says has taken hold among disenchanted conservatives who worry about the direction of the country under the Obama administration.

"This is coming from people's hearts; it's not coming from any group in Washington," he said. "These are good, decent, hardworking people who love their country."

Like other protesters who had come from Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Taylor drove through the night from Florida to be at the event.

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said she originally envisioned the day as impromptu meet-up to protest the health care bill moving through the House. But an enthusiastic response from her Republican colleagues last week and Sean Hannity announcing the event on his show caused the event to morph into what the congresswoman dubbed "the Super Bowl of Freedom."

She stepped up to the microphones and welcomed the 5,000-plus crowd with a boisterous, "You came!!" The rally also featured the full Republican leadership of the House of Representatives, talk radio host Mark Levin, Cliff (John Ratzenberger) from "Cheers," actor Jon Voight and Bachmann herself leading chants of "Kill the Bill! Kill the Bill!"

Carol Macht did not bring a sign to the rally but did bring hundreds of pink slips of paper for people to give to their representatives in Congress, which passers-by grabbed in chunks of 10 and 20 at a time. She drove from Laurel, Md., because she thinks the government is spending too much money and rewarding the wrong people.

"For me, it was the stimulus bill," she said. "I own several businesses and I'm trying to get myself out of them because the government is taking a larger and larger share. I'm making sacrifices for my family, I'm sacrificing my time, my energy and I feel like it's not going to ever pay off."

Dale Darnes said he came because he worries about health care reform hurting his wife. "My wife has some health problems, she visits excellent doctors and my concern is that if Obama and the Democrats get this bill passed, she won't be able to see the same doctors," he said.

A recent McClatchy poll echoed Darnes' and Macht's anxiety. It showed that while a huge majority of Democrats still approve of the job the president is doing, just 21 percent of Republicans do. Most important, the president's approval rating among independents has fallen to 45 percent, down more than 10 points since the beginning of August and an all-time low in that group. On specifics such as his handling of the economy, health care and jobs, the president's numbers were all below 50 percent.

Carol Schnapp, Jane Cosco and Sue Buchthal have never participated in politics before this year, but said their frustration with disconnected politicians, including New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, drove them to action. "I said to Carol, I've got to stop screaming at the TV, stop screaming at the radio in the car," said Cosco.

The friends decided to take the train down from New Jersey to Washington to attend Thursday's rally and to talk to Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat, about why they oppose the health care bill.

Once at his office, Cosco said, a staff member told them that Lautenberg was not available to meet with them because he was on the floor of the Senate doing business.

"We left, walked around the corner and looked back," she said. Because each office in the building features floor-to-ceiling windows, they could see not only the reception room where they had been, but also the office next to it. "Lautenberg, our senator, was in the next room having his photo taken," she said. "They lied to us."

Undaunted by their Senate experience, the ladies from New Jersey gathered their bags and headed across Capitol Hill to find their congressman to ask him to vote no on health care reform. After attending the rally and walking through the Capitol, they vowed they would be active during 2010 elections. Said Schnapp with a smile, "At least we'll be doing something instead of complaining."

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Jessica Alba Touts Global Education in Meeting With Nancy Pelosi

Emily Miller — 2009-11-06T11:37:00 00:00

Filed under: Emily's Post

Actress Jessica Alba met with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi Friday morning to talk about the importance of global education. Pelosi then took Alba to a conference room in the speaker's suite to address 18 members of the Democratic Women's Caucus about raising awareness of the issue.

"Jessica spoke very articulately and knowledgably about the need for greater emphasis on education," a House leadership staffer told Politics Daily in an exclusive interview Friday morning.

Alba, 28, the star of movies "Sin City" and "Fantastic Four," has recently become the U.S. co-chair of the group 1GOAL: Education for All, which advocates for the 75 million children worldwide (half in Africa) who are denied access to education.

"It's great to see Jessica Alba bringing her celebrity to promote this important issue of basic education to children in the developing world," said a policy staffer for Speaker Pelosi.

The actress was described by another staffer as "gorgeous," very skinny, with "reddish brown hair and huge lips."

For her meeting on Capitol Hill, Alba wore a black-and-white tweed suit, black tights and black patent leather Mary Jane Chanel heels. She wore her hair down and "very natural makeup." For D.C.'s autumn weather, the actress wore a black overcoat with a ruffle down one side.

Staffers said Alba appeared somewhat awestruck during her visit to the most powerful office in the Capitol. After the policy meetings, she went to the Speaker's Balcony and asked to have her picture taken with a personal camera with the impressive view of the National Mall and the monuments. She also spent time taking pictures with some of the key House staff who work on global education issues.

Pelosi's staffers say Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) has championed the issue of education in the developing world. Over the past several years, Lowey has pushed to increase funding for global education, and in the current House appropriations bill for Foreign Operations, Lowey was able to get $1 billion dollars for education initiatives worldwide.

Washingtonians never cease to be amazed at how much smaller movie stars are in real life. One of the staffers who saw Alba in person describes her as so small that her "whole body is the size of my arm."

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyMillerDC

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Sarah Palin Keeping a Low Profile on Wisconsin Trip

David Sessions — 2009-11-06T10:51:00 00:00

Filed under: Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin is apparently trying to skirt the spotlight on a trip to Wisconsin this week, CNN's Political Ticker reports. Palin has banned all media from her speech at a right-to-life event Friday night, and attendees will not be allowed to bring cellphones, cameras or other recording devices into the Milwaukee auditorium that will host the gathering.

The speech comes just a week and a half before the release of Palin's highly anticipated memoir, "Going Rogue," after which she will begin a nationwide book tour and sit down for major interviews with Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters. A recent Gallup poll suggests that only one in three Americans would seriously consider voting for Palin in a future presidential election.

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