The Note: Trouble, My Friend, Right Here
— -- WASHINGTON, Mar. 1
The Thursday Note quiz. You gotta play to win.
Send your entries to politicalunit@abcnews.com.
The first successful entrant gets to buy lunch for ABC News' Teddy Davis.
It is, as always, a multi-part quiz.
Part I: Match the political figure with his or her biggest problem. (See choices below.)
Part II: Answer "yes" or "no" -- does the person recognize this as his or her biggest problem and evince urgency in fixing things?
Part III: Answer "yes" or "no" -- is the person currently on the path to fixing his or her problem?
A. George W. Bush: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
B. Speaker Nancy Pelosi: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
C. Rep. John Murtha: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
D. Sen. Hillary Clinton: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
E. Sen. John McCain: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
F. former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson:
Part I ________________ Part II: __________
Part III: __________
G. Sen. Barack Obama: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
H. former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney:
Part I ________________ Part II: __________
Part III: __________
I. former North Carolina senator John Edwards:
Part I ________________ Part II: __________
Part III: __________
J. former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani:
Part I ________________ Part II: __________
Part III: __________
K. Rep. Rahm Emanuel: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
L. Rep. Anthony Weiner: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
M. Sen. Joe Biden: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
N. former Vice President Al Gore:
Part I ________________ Part II: __________
Part III: __________
O. Rep. John Boehner: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
P. Rep. Tom Cole: Part I ________________
Part II: __________ Part III: __________
Q. former President Bill Clinton:
Part I ________________Part II: __________
Part III: __________
R. Vice President Dick Cheney:
Part I ________________ Part II: __________
Part III: __________
Choices for Part I:
1. Is writing a book.
2. Lived in an English basement.
3. Craves Johnny Rocket's.
4. Still hasn't read "Fiasco."
5. Thinks Karl Rove is a secret supporter.
6. Was a source for Woodward.
7. Reads only Page 6 and clips.
8. Thinks Dick Holbrooke is a secret supporter.
9. SOLD stocks on Tuesday.
10. Doesn't know if Jeff Bartlett likes to be called "Jeffrey" or what his favorite brand is.
11. Secret cigarette smoker.
12. Open cigar smoker.
13. Leaks to Pickler.
14. Building consensus on the war more dangerous than not having consensus on the war.
15. Carries no cash.
16. Roy Blunt has his back.
17. Is sweet on Jay Carney.
18. Watches self on C-SPAN reruns.
19. Thinks Gordon Fischer is a secret supporter.
20. Prays for Dan Bartlett daily.
21. Thrown out of Lauriol Plaza.
22. Completely misunderstands what it means to pull a "Sister Soulja."
23. Calls Kevin Madden for advice.
24. Tells staff, "I don't care what the right political decision is; I am doing what I believe."
25. SHOULD call Kevin Madden for advice (but doesn't).
26. Wears TV makeup all day.
27. Read David Rogers growing up.
28. Wants to get on Greta's show.
29. Thinks Jesse Jackson and George Miller are equally trustworthy and equally strategically brilliant.
30. Let's spouse terrorize the campaign staff.
31. Doesn't disguise his contempt for congressional Democrats.
32. Has lost Adam Nagourney's interest.
33. Al Gore might run for President.
34. Refuses to flip-flop on the war.
35. Being lied to by the finance staff about how much the first-quarter report will show.
36. Hates the boss.
37. The boss hates him.
38. Thinks a favorable Maureen Dowd or Paul Krugman mention is worth (at least) 25 electoral votes.
39. Has lost Dan Balz's respect.
40. Doesn't see the need for "message discipline" or a consistent "stump speech."
41. Is surrounded by yes-men and yes-women.
42. Thinks no one will actually build a grassroots effort in 99 Iowa counties -- so why should they?
43. Doesn't fully appreciate the single-minded determination of Ellen Malcolm.
44. Thinks blogger support=votes.
45. Doesn't know that Jeff Zeleny is no longer at the Tribune.
46. Gets angry and yells.
47. Still calls George Allen.
48. Once called Jonathan Alter "John Harris."
49. Doesn't remember which 2 Iowa counties Howard Dean won -- or, worse, never knew.
50. Treats the campaign staff with a combination of the styles of Al Gore and John Kerry.
51. Thinks iPod is a moving company.
52. Too tan, leaving voters wondering, "is s/he white enough?"
53. Makes Rahm look fat.
54. Member of "Mile High" club.
55. Doesn't know Harold Ickes' 2008 role.
56. Annoys VandeHei.
57. Hasn't bookmarked the URL for David Yepsen's blog.
58. Doesn't know what the O (Onette) stands for or the real reason behind the naming of O'Kay Henderson.
59. Former fresh face now an old fogey.
60. Too much perspiration, not enough inspiration.
61. Giuliani Inc.
62. Not the guy on "LA Law."
63. YouTube.
64. Clinton Inc.
65. Needs a Second Act.
66. Thinks the Shuttle is faster than the Acela.
67. At Halloween, went as Jenna Bush.
68. Sounds like a rusty trombone.
69. Running as a retread candidate against his/her platform from the last election.
70. Reads the classifieds.
71. Knows global warming is important; doesn't realize that having the press like you is too.
72. Needs an eye lift and jowls reduced.
73. Has had too many eye lifts.
74. Will always be overshadowed by Bill Clinton.
75. Spokesman's obsession with seeing his name in the paper, regardless of whether it helps the candidate.
For the first time since the one year anniversary of the storm last August, President Bush travels to the Gulf Coast where he holds an 11:40 am ET meeting with elected officials and community leaders at Biloxi City Hall in Mississippi. The President then travels to New Orleans, LA for a 1:35 pm ET lunch with Louisiana state and local officials, followed by a 3:10 pm ET visit to the Samuel J. Green Charter School, where he will deliver remarks at 3:50 pm ET.
His Number Two will tend to GOP politics here at home today as Vice President Cheney will be the star attraction at the American Conservative Union's 34th annual Conservative Political Action Conference which gets underway at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. Mr. Cheney takes to the stage at 7:30 pm ET. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is expected to address the Republican grassroots activists at 1:15 pm ET. (See below for more CPAC schedule highlights.)
ABC News' Teddy Davis reports on Sen. McConnell's plan to paint Democrats as wanting to "unring the bell" on Iraq. LINK
After his star turn on Letterman, Sen. McCain is in Utah today with no public events on his schedule.
Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) has a packed Granite State schedule today. Romney participates in a 9:00 am ET community forum at the New Hampshire Community Technical College in Concord, NH. At 11:20 am ET he meets with local residents at Hollis Pharmacy in Hollis, NH. Gov. Romney then delivers the 12:15 pm ET keynote to the Nashua Chamber of Commerce Business Eminence Awards luncheon at the Sheraton Hotel in Nashua, NH. He will be available to the press at 5:45 pm ET before delivering 7:00 pm ET remarks for the Hampton/Derry/Portsmouth Lincoln Day Dinner at the Granite Rose in Hampstead, NH.
Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) hold an 11:30 am ET news conference introducing "The Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act" at the U.S. Capitol.
The Federal Election Commission holds a 10:00 am ET meeting in Washington, DC to consider the Obama campaign's question of whether a campaign can raise funds for the general while retaining the option to return those funds if the candidate chooses to participate in the program at a later date.
Sen. Clinton (D-NY) plans to attend a 9:30 am ET Senate Armed Services Committee hearing focused on American efforts in Afghanistan.
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) holds a 6:00 pm ET rally at the Tivoli Student Center of the Metropolitan State College of Denver in Denver, CO, followed by a media availability.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) delivers an 8:00 pm ET speech to the Northern Virginia Society of Financial Services Professionals at the Ritz Carlton in McLean, VA.
Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) holds a 6:30 pm ET press conference on crime fighting at Hobbs City Hall in Hobbs, NM.
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) holds an 11:15 am ET on camera press briefing at the Capitol.
The U.S. Senate holds a 3:00 pm ET members-only briefing on Iraq at the Capitol with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson delivers a noon ET address to the Economic Club of Washington at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC.
Spartanburg County Republicans in South Carolina hold their straw poll for the 2008 presidential primary, with poll results scheduled to be announced at about 9:40 pm ET on Fox News Channel. Of the "big three" Republican campaigns, the two which have worked the straw poll in Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties hardest are Romney and McCain.
The McCain camp sent one letter from Attorney General Henry McMaster and made one automated call to McCain supporters in the area. Romney used a February 2005 speech in Spartanburg County as his initial step on the road to South Carolina's first-in-the-South presidential primary and has kept up his efforts since then.