Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin, The Examiner
2007-03-27 07:00:00.0
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Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin cover people, power and politics in the beltway each weekday. Email them at yan@dcexaminer.com .

Lay off Gore, says Beach Boys’ Love

Beach Boy Mike Love thinks that a certain Republican senator from Oklahoma should mind his manners a bit.

Speaking at the National Press Club Monday, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and cousin to the band’s Wilson brothers said he was doing a different kind of surfing — channel surfing — last week when he came across C-SPAN’s broadcast of Al Gore’s testimony on climate change. He happened to tune in right when Sen. James Inhofe, a global warming skeptic, was giving Gore an earful.

“Gore deserves a bit more respect than he was shown by a rancorous senator from Oklahoma,” Love said. “I was offended by the rancorous display of hostility. There’ll be a time in the not-too-distant future when no one will inhabit elective office unless they are environmentally conscious.”

“I’ve evolved a bit from writing songs about gas-guzzling cars,” added the bearded, ballcapped Love, who sported four rings on his fingers and answered several questions by quoting copiously from his songs.

In the Q&A portion, Love confessed that the secret to singing the same songs over and over is “transcendental meditation.”

When asked how D.C.-area girls compared with California girls, he played it coy.

“By no means are we saying that one is better than the other,” he said. “We’re just trying to be inclusive.”

And finally, when asked if he plans to retire, he borrowed a line from another band, joking that he’d never retire as long as he gets “money for nothing and chicks for free.”

Speaking first was Wolf Trap Foundation President Terrence Jones, who issued a call to arms for the arts community on the environment. In addition to announcing a new green initiative for the performing arts park, he said that former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta will chair Wolf Trap’s new National Advisory Council for the Arts and Environment.

Details mag reveals D.C.’s mavericks

Details magazine reveals its 2007 “Mavericks” list in the current issue, and it’s chockablock with Washingtonians. Sprinkled among “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest, fashion designer Tom Ford and hip-hop producer Timbaland, eight men and women with D.C. connections make the list of the “visionary thinkers” who “are bending the future to their will.” They are:

» John Weaver, Sen. John McCain’s chief presidential campaign strategist, who’s known to smash cell phones and toss suitcases.

» Jacob Hacker, a Yale political scientist and author whose advice has been sought by Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards.

» Eric Sapp and Mara Vanderslice, founders of Common Good Strategies, an organization that reaches out to religious voters on behalf of Democratic candidates.

» Ken Stern, CEO of National Public Radio, who is pushing the network “aggressively into digital media.”

» Kristen Silverberg, assistant secretary of state, who says she’s “in charge of multilateralism in an administration known for its unilateralism.”

» George Stephanopoulos of ABC News, whom Details calls the “fairest and most acute listener in television news.”

» Jay Reiff, a Democratic political consultant who just helmed Sen. Bob Casey’s successful campaign in Pennsylvania.

Of course, we might question the magazine’s criteria. In a chart titled “How the Mavericks Roll,” a heading called “Deal-Making Meal Spot” lists The Palm and the Mayflower Hotel bar for D.C. Not exactly thinking outside the box.

Gohmert gets Wiki-bombed

Rep. Louie Gohmert’s now-infamous comment that the District doesn’t need voting rights led not only to his office being deluged with phone calls last week, but also to his being Wiki-bombed.

Perhaps encouraged by commenters on the DCist.com Web site, someone edited Gohmert’s entry on the online encyclopedia Wikipedia to read: “In March of 2007 Gohmert unilaterally ended the historical disenfranchisement of Washington the District of Columbia with his declaration that the district was represented in practice by the entirety of both houses. Since that time Gohmert has become the “go-to” representative for the District of Columbia and residents are encouraged to contact his office for any constituent services.”

The entry was changed Saturday to a more objective accounting of Thursday’s floor debate, and by Monday, all that remained was a reference to Gohmert as a “Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the District of Columbia’s At-large congressional district.”

DCist editor-at-large Martin Austermuhle said he’s happy Gohmert is aware that D.C. residents “have access to computers and telephones, and are more than happy to demand the services and perks of representation that everyone else in the U.S. has access to.”

Frist forgets formalities

Poor Bill Frist …

Ever since he left office — having spent 12 years in the Senate — the former majority leader seems to have forgotten some basic social protocols.

So, based on our Monday encounter with Frist at the Cosi sandwich store in McPherson Square, Yeas & Nays will provide — free of charge — a refresher course in how to conduct oneself in public.

Rule #1: Do not wear the Bluetooth wireless device that you were sporting in your ear. They not only look dorky, but also make others around you think that you’re talking to yourself. And since we already worry that politicians out of office are a bit lonely, you do not want to reinforce this negative image.

Rule #2: Do not partake of open jars of free ranch dip. As a doctor, we figured that you’d know that they’re havens for germs and disease. But there you were, plunging your veggies into the bowl of dip laid out on the counter.

Rule #3: Don’t simply grab the freebies and head out the door without buying something, senator! Cosi does love to give away free bread (and ranch dip) and snacks, but every good capitalist should know that they do so hoping that you will exchange currency for further goods and services. So, Frist, it was a bit odd when you appeared to get your free veggies and ranch dip, and leave just as quickly as you’d entered, without purchasing anything.

Were you going to head to Whole Foods next to wash it down with some free cheese samples? Tsk, tsk, senator …

A Schwarzenegger in D.C.?

Political pundits have long speculated that California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is interested in becoming president of the United States (just so long as they get rid of that whole “natural born citizen” requirement). But, regardless of whether the Governator makes it to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., one of his children may make it to the District anyway.

Schwarzenegger’s wife, Maria Shriver, was at George Washington University on Monday for a campus tour with one of her daughters. Campus reps were, perhaps understandably, rather tight-lipped about the visit, but all we want to know is this: Did the prospective student ask, “Which way to the gym?”

A Speaker’s birthday

Turns out that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer not only has power, he’s got pipes, too. Hoyer led a “Happy Birthday” sing-along for Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the Democrat’s weekly leadership meeting Monday evening. Pelosi turned 67 Monday.

Kristin Laubach and Mike Neibauer contributed to this page.