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Dubya Dubya Dubya (Note: There
was a funny picture of a Gore Staffer standing in the Press Room with the
sign that said _HITE HOUSE-_ashington)
Our item about the dozens of W-deprived computer keyboards
discovered in the Old Executive Office Building (the keys apparently removed
by departing Clintonites as a prank on President Bush's incoming team)
provoked a variety of reactions yesterday. Bottom line: We are not amused.
Thomas A. Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government
Waste, issued a ringing denunciation of "this wanton act . . . perpetrated
by whiners who won't believe they didn't win the election." Schatz added:
"This lack of respect of government property tracks the abuse of tax dollars
that was common throughout the Clinton administration."
In a similar vein, reader Patricia Pizzino e-mailed us:
"So now will Ole Bill finally be convicted of something . . . destruction
of government property?" Karen S. Rose wrote: "What a childish thing to
do, but so typical of the Clinton White House!" Diane R. Meeks opined:
"Once again . . . the Clinton bunch exhibited the kind of behavior that
brought shame and dishonor to the office of the Presidency." Michelle Goyert
noted: "Some of the educators in my school in Fairfax County have decided
that the keyboard trick is just this side of ridiculous, since our sixth-graders
could have thought of something more creative. We are not impressed." And
Greg Terzaki took issue with the comments of Al Gore's former press secretary
Chris Lehane: "The White House didn't need the W key, according to Mr.
Lehane? Whitewater. Lewinsky. Susan Webber Wright. Just to name a few."
At least White House press secretary Ari Fleischer seemed to think it was funny. Asked his reaction at yesterday's briefing, he replied: "It would have been 'Wow' but the W was removed, so now it's just O."
THIS JUST IN . . .
* Taking a lunchtime stroll around the White House yesterday,
President Bush poked his head into the briefing room, where a dozen reporters
and photographers were waiting for something to happen. "At ease," he told
the surprised gaggle, including The Post's Susan Biddle. "Anybody got any
burgers in there?" To which Knight Ridder photographer Chuck Kennedy responded:
"If we'd known you wanted a burger, we would have picked one up for you."
We guess this means that the honeymoon isn't quite over yet.
* Many political observers thought Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) was in deep trouble during his reelection race last year. Congressional Quarterly apparently thought he was in really deep trouble. The authorative publication's online roster of members of Congress features a thumbnail sketch of Burns's Democratic opponent, Brian D. Schweitzer, identified as a senator "since Jan. 3, 2001." Alas, Schweitzer lost. "Good catch," Robert W. Merry, CQ's president and publisher, manfully told us yesterday. "We will correct that for our readers forthwith."
QUOTE
"We appreciate the offer, but Socks expects his Social
Security taxes to be paid. That was a little catty of me, wasn't it?"
-- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's press secretary, Howard
Wolfson, responding yesterday to former Bush labor secretary nominee Linda
Chavez's offer of food, shelter and employment to the displaced Clinton
family feline.
© 2001 The Washington Post Company