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Political Notebook: 'Idol' thoughts by congressman Sunday, Apr 27, 2008 By Aaron Sadler Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Even a congressman isn't above a little "Idol" worship. Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers, rushed to have his photograph taken with a former "American Idol" contestant Thursday after a Capitol Hill news conference. Boozman pulled a digital camera out of his coat pocket to give to an aide, then he turned and smiled widely as the aide snapped a photo of the lawmaker with Melinda Doolittle, who appeared on the hit music show last year. He insisted he wasn't a big "Idol" fan but that his wife and three daughters "will be really excited" that he met Doolittle. "They will be excited that I got to visit with her a little bit," Boozman said. Doolittle, who finished third in last year's competition, has taken on malaria in Africa as a cause. She was in Washington to join Boozman and First Lady Laura Bush for the launch of the Congressional Malaria Caucus. Boozman is co-chairman of the caucus. Boozman didn't try to get a photo taken with the first lady. But he did note that both the president and first lady made a brief taped appearances on "American Idol" last week. In the Boozman household, the show is required viewing. "When I'm home during that time, they insist that everybody sits down and is quiet during that show," he said of the women in his family. Boozman said he doesn't have a favorite contestant for this season, the seventh for the popular series, because he's rarely around to watch. "Because of the schedule here, I'm not home a lot," he said. "I do watch it when I'm at home." Playing by the rules Arkansas business leaders have to navigate a few new ethics rules for their 49th annual trip to Washington to wine and dine the state's congressional delegation. Both houses of Congress instituted tougher lobbyingrules last year under public pressure in the wake of several scandals. Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce President Tom Manskey said he thought at first that the new restrictions meant a new game plan for the three-day Washington fly-in. "Well, we're going to put money in unmarked envelopes. No, no, I'm kidding," Manskey said. "We got very nervous in the very beginning when we read the ethics rules," he said. The restrictions prohibit most entities that employ lobbyists from providing meals or gifts to members of Congress or their employees. However, the rules make an exception for a "widely attended" event. Lawmakers and staffs may be treated to a meal at such events, given that at least 25 people from outside Congress attend and the dinner is open to a variety of people. Monday's Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas dinner fits that requirement. Susie Marks, senior vice president of the state chamber, said about 250 Arkansans will attend the annual dinner. Other chambers of commerce from across the state will have luncheons or receptions with individual lawmakers and their employees during the trip, Marks said. Every event counts within the "widely attended" exemption, she said. "We haven't had to make any changes, because it's all considered one big event," she said. The new requirements caused some concern in February for the Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce, which scrapped plans to set up tables at a reception where appetizers were served. Instead, participants ate while standing. A Senate rule allows employees to accept food at a reception, but not at a sit-down meal. "We wanted to make sure we didn't do anything that was going to get anybody in trouble," said Jonesboro chamber head Carrie White. Huckabee recounts 'special times' Busy on the speaking circuit since he ended his White House bid last month, former Gov. Mike Huckabee shared recently with students at Ouachita Baptist University the highlights of his national campaign. According to an article on OBU's Web site, Huckabee told students at his alma mater the campaign was "just incredible fun." The article went on to say: " ... Huckabee emphasized that 'there were a lot of special times' on the campaign trail, including guest appearances on Saturday Night Live, the Colbert Report, the Late Show with David Letterman and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno." There was no word in the article as to whether Huckabee considered as special his surprising Iowa caucus win or his Super Tuesday wins in the South. |
