Kitty Felde

The inside story on California's congressional delegation.

Californians Really Are A Different Breed

Somehow, living in California, you imagine that the rest of the world looks like us, thinks like us, and acts like us. Not so.

And while it’s true that politicians are like actors - a bit over the top, perhaps not the best example of real life folk - they do demonstrate the regional differences in this country. Boy, do they ever.

San Jose Democrat Mike Honda hosted a press conference on Thursday to promote his immigration bill. It would extend the definition of family to include same sex partners. Honda was joined by Congressional colleagues from several other states and the difference in appearance and demeanor was eye opening.

Congressman Jerrold Nadler from New York was larger than life, addressing the small audience as if he were in a basketball arena at a national political convention. His energy level matched the city of New York itself. It was like pouring a very strong cup of espresso in your ears.

Wisconsin has an openly lesbian Congresswoman, Tammy Baldwin. And you knew she was a midwesterner from the start. She was clean cut, polite, blonde. And she didn’t hog the spotlight. She made her points and then stepped away from the microphone.

Both of Hawaii’s Congressional representatives were there. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono and Congressman Neil Abercrombie began their remarks with loud, “aloha!”s and expected the audience to echo “aloha” back at them with just as much passion. Both spoke proudly of their ethnically mixed state with its glorious landscape. They did not, however, come attired in the stereotypical aloha shirt. And neither sported flower leis.

Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee arrived late and loud. Her bright kelly green knit suit was topped off with a sherbet colored shawl. And being a woman from Texas, she had the obligatory big Texas hair. She blew in like a hot wind over the Texas panhandle, announced her apologies for being late, and just a swiftly, blew out of the room on a tailwind. She definitely made a Texas-sized impression.

By contrast, our own California Congressman seemed “normal.” Congressman Honda did not wear the Capitol Hill uniform of a dark suit and white shirt, choosing instead an ensemble in earth tones that reflect our desert landscape. He was quiet, polite, he even shed a tear talking about an issue he obviously feels strongly about.

This, I think, is how we Californians like to think about ourselves: colorful, compassionate, kind to others. We may not really be that way, but it’s nice to know that’s how a Congressman from California presents himself to the world.

Gracious in Defeat

Henry Waxman got what he wanted. At 8:30 last night, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed sweeping climate change legislation.

This was Waxman’s first big challenge since he wrestled the chairmanship away from Michigan Democrat John Dingell. For years, it had been difficult to get environmentally friendly legislation past Dingle’s loyalty to the automobile industry. But on a 33 to 25 vote, mostly along party lines, the committee approved a measure that promotes renewable sources of energy and sets up a trading system for swapping pollution credits.

But it took a long time to get there. This week alone, the committee spent 37 hours debating 94 ammendments. It could have been worse: 350 ammendments had originally been submitted for consideration, about two thirds from Republicans. Minority leader Joe Barton of Texas quipped, “We do have a new source of biomass and that’s all the ammendments we placed at the desk.”

But this was the surprising part. Over and over again, Republicans knew they didn’t have the votes, but they put their ammendments out there anyway. Over and over again, they were voted down. Rather than a simple voice vote on those ammendments, Republicans demanded the timetaking task of conducting a full roll call of the committee’s 58 members. Every member’s name was called, every member replied with an “aye” or a “no” and every vote was counted.

At one point, Waxman said, “The Chair would now like to call on Mr. Buyer (Republican Steve Buyer from Indiana) to offer an ammendment. You have just one ammendment?

Buyer: I have one endblock ammendment which will be the last ammendment on the Republican side, given that you have no more ammendments.

Waxman: Well, we do have some ammendments on the Democratic side.

Buyer: Well, how many ammendments do you have on your side? Because actually we’ve got like 400 more if you want us to go.

Waxman: You’ve been very generous in taking up our time.

There was a big laugh in the room. And it might have been taken as a bit mean spirited. But in the end, Waxman got a huge round of applause for his fairness in dealing with Republicans.

Conrgressman Buyer said, “Mr. Chairman I want to compliment you. I want to compliment you on the art of fair dealing and wise tolerance in which you have handled the gavel through a very difficult “mark” (short for markup, the ammendment process) and I extend my personal compliments to you for having done that.”

Then the Minority Leader on the Committee, Joe Barton of Texas, added his compliments:

“I don’t agree with the work product, but I do agree and am very much impressed with your ability in your first major test as Chairman to keep the committee functioning in a collegial way, which is no trivial accomplishment. It really is impressive.”

That’s not to say Republicans were happy with the vote. They all voted no, except for Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack of Palm Springs.

Congressman Joe Barton summed it this way, “I know that those of you who are proponants have every right to be proud of it. And to the victors go the spoils…Suffice it to say that myself and others who will not vote for the bill do have legitimate and serious concerns about the redirection of our energy policy in America, the foundation and the bedrock of our free market economy, which is the most efficient, the most productive, the largest in the world. One third of the world’s GDP is based on the United States economy. And that economy, for over 150 years, has been based on a free market allocation of resources in the energy sector. And this bill does make fundamental changes in that basic philosophy. Now, those of you who support the bill have every right to think that those changes are necessary. And for the sake of our nation, I hope to some degree you’re right. I’m afraid that you’re not. But we will see.”

The Governator

It was great fun watching the Washington press corps watching the Governor.

Arnold Schwarzenegger had been meeting with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. He wanted the feds to back off his plan to cut the pay of home health care workers. Their union complained to the Obama administration which threatened to withhold billions in federal stimulus dollars. The Governor got what he wanted and he walked out of one of the ugliest buildings in Washington surrounded by a few aides and security fellows with things in their ears.

And then he astonished the DC press corps by walking across the street to the park where the cameras were waiting. “He’s walking?!?!?” the Bloomberg reporter asked. What? Do they think we drive everywhere just because we’re Californians?

Of course, after the press conference was over, a posse of SUVs pulled up to the curb and the Governor rode off into the sunset.

You could almost hear a sigh of relief from that Bloomberg guy.

I Carry a Badge

It’s National Police Week.

That means Washington DC is full of (mostly) men in blue. And tan. And tee shirts. And even kilts. There are cops on motorcycles, cops in bars, even half a dozen cops from Folsom who insist on escorting you to the metro. And one fellow who keeps playing the bagpipes.

They’re here to honor fellow officers who were killed in action this past year.

And they came to find the Irish bar down the street.

The city never felt safer.

To welcome them, the Metropolitan Police (as the DC police call themselves) put on a bit of a show. Dozens of cars, all with their red, white and blue lights flashing, rushed down F Street and pulled up in front of the National Portrait Gallery. They blocked off the street and fell into important looking formations. Officers from other departments were curious, but apparently there’s a protocol. You don’t approach a fellow officer and simply ask, “what’s going on?” You can, however, ask about their police technique. Which, apparently, is quite different depending on what part of the country you’re policing. In the end, the incident came to naught, the MPD drove off, lights a flashing, into the sunset.

Just the facts, Ma’am.

He's BAAACK

No, sadly not Manny Ramirez.

LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was back in town this weekend. Second weekend in a row. In fact, if my math is correct, his honor, the Mayor, has made 8 trips to Washington DC…since the beginning of 2009.

A week ago, it was to address AIPAC - the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. This past weekend, it was to attend the star-studded White House Correspondent’s Dinner. Mayor Villaraigosa was the guest of CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

In March, when he was in town for LA’s annual lobbying visit, I asked the Mayor whether reporters were asking him the wrong question. Instead of asking whether he’s running for Governor, should we be asking instead whether he’s looking for a new job in Washington? He smiled broadly and laughed and said, “just trying to do the city’s business.”

Always nice to see familiar faces here in Washington, Mr. Mayor. Y’all come on back anytime, you hear?

Home Room

Republican Congressman David Dreier was shocked to learn that KPCC’s new Washington Correspondent had yet to spend an afternoon in the House Gallery, watching members cast votes. He insisted this was the day.

It’s like arriving in a foreign country without a guide book.

News of an impending vote is broadcast (through a mysterious serious of buzzers and bells in House offices), abd members rush to the subway cars for the short trip to the Capitol. There, they take crowd into ALL the elevators getting to the second floor. If you’re not a member of Congress, you can wait.

Down on the House floor, it’s like home room - a reunion of familiar faces who haven’t seen each other forever. Or at least for 24 hours. There’s plenty of hand shaking, gossip sharing, and the meeting of someone’s grandchild. Eventually, members drift to either the Democratic or Republican side of the room.

And even within the parties, there are the cliques. The Congressional Black Caucus sits together. Not that any House member really ever sits down. LA Democrat Diane Watson showed her true Laker colors, wearing a purple suit and a bright yellow scarf.

Unlike the Senate, House members don’t get a desk of their own on the floor. They don’t even get a desk. Just an anonymous chair. Maybe that’s why most of them were on their feet.

At the very back of the room, younger male members are making noise, shouting “order!” and “vote!” to try to hurry along the proceedings. They are ignored. But it sounds more like a basketball game than a political event.

Eventually, a vote is called for on one of four ammendments.

Voting consists of sticking a plastic key card - not unlike a hotel key - into a slot attached to the back of most rows of chairs. If the card is recognized, the device lights up. Members then push the red button (a “no” vote) or the green button (a “yes” vote) or the yellow button that just shows they were present, but not casting a vote one way or the other. Votes are tallied in several places: a scorecard at one end of the room, and projected on the wall above the observation seats, a list of every member’s name and how they cast their ballot.

And just like that, it was over. Members scattered, leaving the House floor for their various districts. Once again, the Capitol was quiet.

Star Struck

Some say DC is full of celebrities…Barack Obama stepping out for a burger with Joe Biden, Jennifer Garner reading to little kids, “24” shooting down the street.

Nope. The real celebrity was walking down the halls of Congress on Wednesday, easily the most impeccably dressed man in the building.

And well he should be. Tim Gunn has advised clueless women and design impaired designers on cable television for years. What was he doing in the Capitol? Did Nancy Pelosi need some tips on how to break away from the red power jacket? Was Arlen Spector stumped about how a Democrat should dress? Perhaps the male press corps was being called in for a lecture on wearing something besides blue chambric shirts. Who knows?

The entire town should be called on the runway carpet.

It’s true what they say: fashion-wise, it’s very, very boring here. A Capitol Hill woman’s idea of comfortable work shoes is a flat with an ugly buckle across a square toe. California Congressmen and Congresswomen are the only members who regularly sport a color other than black. And then there’s the lobbyists. You can spot them easily: farmers wear checked shirts, Alzheimers activists wear purple sashes, and environmentalists wear green tee shirts.

Tim Gunn, you’ve arrived just in time!

Environment and Public Works

We’ve all had the office from hell: an air conditioner that cooks you during winter and freezes you all summer. Or vice versa. But wouldn’t you think that the Senator who heads the powerful committee in charge of tackling climate change and overseeing public works projects would have an energy efficient office herself?

Two years ago, an interview with Barbara Boxer in her office included an unusual sound effect: an air conditioner in the background so loud it sounded like the Trevi Fountain. Last week, a visit to the Senator’s office revealed that the air conditioner from hell was still hissing and spitting like crazy.

In fairness, it may not be energy inefficient. Perhaps the office was even designed with an annoying air conditioner. And the Senator has pushed hard to replace incandescent bulbs in Capitol office buildings with fluorescents. But if Senator Boxer can’t get her own air conditioner fixed, how successful will Congress be at passing legislation that can reduce greenhouse gasses?

Washington's Dirty Little Secret

There’s a dry cleaning establishment in the Longworth House Office Building. There’s also a Post Office, a credit union, a cafeteria, etc. But that dry cleaners surprised one observer.

“Who would walk around Capitol Hill, waving around plastic covered shirts?”

The truth is that at about 6:30 every weeknight, as most staffers start walking across the street to the Metro, dozens of them carry their Longworth House dry cleaning, those plastic covered shirts waving like kites in the wind.

The skeptic scoffed.

But then he spotted the fifth most powerful member of Congress picking up his own dry cleaning: LA Democrat Xavier Bacerra.

Just Stand There and Wait

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gathered up all the Chairmen of the various Committees that are dealing with global warming legislation today. They all stood in a line, before a blue screen announcing they’d be cleaning up the air and adding jobs, etc. Everyone got the chance to say about one minute of content.

And then what?

You’re supposed to just stand there for the picture.

California Democrat Henry Waxman, who heads the House Energy and Commerce Committee, gave his short speech. And then did what every reporter in the Rayburn Room was doing. He checked his Blackberry. While one of his fellow Chairmen was speaking.

There are rules of etiquette about checking email during dinner parties. I wonder if there’s one about doing it during press conferences?

Fire Drill

Maybe it’s a spring ritual here in Washington - an excuse to get outside when the weather is warming up. Or maybe they just have more fires here.

On Capitol Hill today, there were THOUSANDS of people out on the streets. Now, Congress is not in session and it’s been pretty quiet. Not today. At first, it looked like several busloads of tourists had just arrived, all patiently waiting in line for a peek at the halls of power.

But no, these were staffers, standing a line two blocks long, waiting to get through security to get back into their House office building.

Turns out, it was a fire drill…for ALL of Capitol Hill. Everyone was in a jolly mood…mostly because it was a nice day outside for a change. Sunshine instead of two days of rain and temps that keep dipping back into the lower 40’s.

One woman brought her laptop, Blackberry, personal cell phone, and three other electronic devices I couldn’t identify. But most people stood empty-handed, squinting up at the sunshine.

It was also a bit of a runway show for the type of fashions staffers wear when the boss is back in the district. Very California: flip flops, sundresses, and a lot of denim.

Opening Day

It’s opening day for the Dodgers in Los Angeles…and for the Nationals here in Washington DC.

You think traffic on the Pasadena Freeway is bad? You should see the DC Metro this afternoon! Every rail car was PACKED with Nats fans wearing bright red team gear. And every subway station in the vicinity was jammed with THOUSANDS of people packed shoulder to shoulder along the edge of the subway track. It looked like Tokyo at rush hour. And more than a bit scary as folks pushed further and further toward the edge of the platform. Folks were not happy when the train arrived and was too full to take on another customer. It was also clear that more than a few of those Nationals fans had started drinking long before the game was scheduled to begin.

In Los Angeles, Vin Scully threw out the first pitch. Here in Washington, President Obama was supposed to throw out the first pitch, but he begged off. Apparently, he had 30,000 children and their parents wandering all over the White House lawn, rolling eggs and looking for the new First Puppy.

Wonder what it will look like later today with those tired and chocolate-stuffed children running into beer soaked baseball fans…

The Nats game started on a sad note. The longtime Phillies announcer Harry Kalas collapsed in the broadcast booth before the game. He was 73.

Where Have All the Politicos Gone?

It’s very, very quiet here.

The halls of Congress are usually busy with young staffers walking briskly beside a House member, briefing them on this or that on the way to a meeting. (You can tell the Congressional member…at least most of the time: they’re the ones wearing the lapel pin. Of course, Barney Frank didn’t wear his and doesn’t look like his pictures and was only identifiable after he’d opened his mouth…but that’s another story..)

Usually, there are LOTS of Capitol Police in the hallways. And folks from various interest groups - everyone from Maryland farmers in checked shirts to Alzheimers research advocates wearing purple sashes - calling on members, asking for support. The sound of elevators dinging is constantly in the air. And this sense of business and busyness goes on till quite late in the evening.

Not this week.

This is the “spring district work period,” Congressional members are home in their districts and staffers are taking vacation days. One Senate employee is taking advantage of the lull to get married this weekend. Boxes are stacking up outside House office doors.

The few staffers you see in the tunnels between the House office buildings and the Capitol building after five are all wearing jogging suits and sneakers rather than business suits and pumps. They listen to Ipods rather than their boss.

It’s like a movie set after the actors have all gone home.

Comparing Cuba to Compton

Last night, the Congressional Black Caucus returned from Cuba. One of those in the delegation was Long Beach Democrat Laura Richardson. This was Richardson’s first trip to Cuba. And during a meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro, she asked if they could meet with his brother Fidel. It turned out to be the first time (that we know of) that US officials have met with the Cuban revolutionary leader since his intestinal surgery three years ago.

Richardson said she wasn’t even born when Fidel Castro led the Cuban revolution. And she came to Cuba expecting to see what others had told her about modern Cuba: people without shoes, without jobs, without even ice cream. Instead, she said, she saw Cubans in better situations than people in parts of her own district. Her district includes Watts and Compton, where unemployment is over 18 percent. Richardson said unlike southern California, in Cuba she didn’t see “rows of homeless people,” she didn’t see “trash,” or “mentally ill people living under bridges.” Instead, she said she saw “a community where they may not have much,” but people were “working, taking care of their families.” She also praised Cuban health care and education, and pointed out that one of her own constituents from Long Beach is attending medical school on a complete scholarship. “Where’s that happening in my district?” she asked.

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