The Web's Best Political News Summary: Feb. 6: Money for Nothing But For Mitch It's Not Free

W A S H I N G T O N, Feb. 6 -- Hardly A4 today, President Bush lends a face to our twin leads — the ongoing budget fights, punctuated by the expected death of stimulus package today; and the looming campaign finance reform vote in the House next week — as he travels to economically hurting New York to headline two fundraisers.

Click here, and we'll let you know when the note is ready each day.

News Summary

Also, former President Ronald Reagan turns 91 today, making him the oldest living former president in U.S. history. Before taking off for New York, President Bush will sign Reagan's boyhood home into the ranks of national historic sites, and commemorate a proud supply-sider.

Talk about editorial pages on the warpath: with the House now scheduled to debate and vote on Shays-Meehan, the House version of McCain-Feingold, next Tuesday and Wednesday, both Bush and Vice President Cheney are embarking today on previously planned, separate fund-raising efforts that have been billed as the kickoff of their promised big push to help the GOP in the midterm elections.

Both of Bush's appearances in Manhattan tonight will be on behalf of New York's Republican Gov. George Pataki; the first, being held at the Mayor's Residence, is closed to the press, while the second, lower-dollar event at a hotel is open.

The practice over the years of presidents attending fund-raisers closed to the guardians of the public interest (that would be us, the media) has switched back and forth and now back, without much of a public, or even press debate. We, for three, would argue that openness is in the public interest. Of course, having been to some closed fund-raisers, we generally find that the politicians don't say anything much more interesting than they do at open events.

And keep in mind, of course, that Pataki is not a candidate for federal office, so the rules governing the big money that he's raising wouldn't be affected directly by the measure being considered on the House floor next week.

"On Monday, [Bush] attends a Milwaukee fundraiser for Wisconsin Gov. Scott McCallum," USA Today adds.( http://www.usatoday.com/news/attack/2002/02/06/usat-bush.htm )

Mr. Cheney, meanwhile, will set off on a fund-raising tour for endangered House Republicans, raising money tonight in Evansville, Ind., for Rep. John Hostettler, and tomorrow in Louisville, Ky., for Rep. Anne Northup. We ask plaintively: is ANY national news organization efforting (as we say in TV) to cover these Cheney trips?

The Washington Post 's Edsall writes the counterpunch for Democrats: that their candidates in many of these same key races are financially better positioned heading into 2002. ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29451-2002Feb5.html )

As we expect the New York Times to do most each and every day between now and Wednesday, the Washington Post editorial page rails against the overall grand tour, "Mr. Bush is said to have agreed to 40 [fundraising] events, most to be held later in the season. That's a substantial commitment for leaders who still have a war to run. It underscores yet again the corrosive grip of the money chase on national politics."( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29868-2002Feb5.html )

As far as the second of our twin leads goes, New York is a city the White House hasn't exactly shown a lot of love toward lately, nor gotten a lot of love from, as far as economic assistance and politics go.

We were focused on Treasury Secretary O'Neill yesterday, but apparently it was Mitch Daniels who got a little testy after his multiple appearances on the Hill. "White House budget director Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. said yesterday that he regrets likening New York's fight for more federal aid to 'a little money-grubbing game.' Under questioning from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) … Daniels also seemed to back away from comments the day before that $5 billion from the Sept. 11 victim compensation fund would count against President Bush's pledge of $20 billion to help New York recover from the terrorist attacks. Daniels grew livid when reporters pressed him on the discrepancy after the Budget Committee hearing. At one point he snapped at a reporter, 'Is English okay, or would Spanish be more plain?'"( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29184-2002Feb5.html )

All the papers write the stimpack obit: Senate Majority Leader Daschle, anticipating a failure to agree on the bill, intends to pull it today.

The Washington Post notes, "Still, the collapse of the stimulus plan would help improve the administration's 2003 budget forecast, turning a projected $80 billion deficit into a $15 billion deficit — and actually producing a surplus in 2004. Moreover, if the economy revives in time for the November elections, GOP strategists said, the administration would not have to share credit with Democrats but instead could say last year's tax cut was responsible."( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27450-2002Feb5.html )

In addition, "[c]onservative Republicans pressing for a balanced budget said that absent the stimulus deal, a balanced budget was in reach and they would press for one by seeking deeper spending cuts."

The Washington Times leads, "The Democrat-led Senate is expected to kill an economic recovery bill today, leaving $77 billion from President Bush's budget unspent and vulnerable to lawmakers' wishes."( http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020206-111174.htm )

Among other annoyances for the administration today …

Maybe it's time to start wondering how much earth he can scorch on his way out. The retiring (literally — not as in "shy and") Mr. Armey yesterday denounced Mr. Bush's plan to expand AmeriCorps: "The Texas Republican said he plans to fight the president's push to increase federal funds for organizations such as AmeriCorps, created during the Clinton administration. 'He is so wrong on that. I do not understand why anyone would embrace AmeriCorps. It was not a good idea then, and it is not a good idea now,' Mr. Armey said."( http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020206-98566197.htm )

On the energy task force front, now that the Justice Department has responded that Judicial Watch is not entitled to the records, the court hearing has been scheduled for next Tuesday. "In addition to Judicial Watch's lawsuit and the GAO's impending action, the Natural Resources Defense Council has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Energy over the same matter. A hearing is scheduled for Friday in federal court" in Washington.( http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-000009389feb06.story )?coll=la%2Dnews%2Da%5Fsection )

Still, the administration does have one score to crow about. The Washington Post reports that tomorrow, Bush is expected to announce his support for a compromise bill to encourage public and private support for charitable institutions. "It allows a charitable tax deduction for those who do not itemize on their tax returns, a 'Compassionate Capital Fund' to encourage public-private partnerships and the restoration of funding to the Social Services block grant, a pool of federal money for community organizations." However, the bill may run into trouble in the House, which passed a version that blurred the line between church and state.( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29978-2002Feb5.html )

Late editions of the New York Times and its Web site carry a brief story on the same topic, with this saddest-of-all-possible sentences in the print dodge: "The Washington Post first reported the compromise on its Web site tonight."

The Hill will host some more Enron hearings today, but the big one comes tomorrow, when Chairman Tauzin tees things up again.

From the ABCNEWS London Bureau: Pakistani police have linked a banned Islamic militant group, Jaish-e-Mohammad (Army of Mohammed), to the kidnapping of U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl. The hunt is on for a former British public school student whom they believe is responsible for Pearl's kidnapping. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, born in East London, was named by State Department officials as a key figure in the case.