"I am sure that he probably has not spent a moment thinking about that." -- White House spokesman Tony Snow yesterday, responding to a question about President Bush's view on filmmaker James Cameron's proclamation that he has discovered the tomb of Jesus Christ.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell either was dodging reporters' questions today or didn't receive a press update from his staff.
At his weekly stakeout following the Republican lunch, the Kentucky senator had few answers.
Asked about a new poll showing most Americans want troops withdrawn from Iraq: "I didn't see the poll."
On a morning suicide bombing that may have been targeting Vice President Dick Cheney: "Well, I think the fact that there was a bomb that went off in Afghanistan is not something that hasn't -- it was in Afghanistan, right?"
When a reporter confirmed the attack was indeed in Afghanistan, he continued: "It's happened before. It's dangerous there."
When queried about an agreement the Iraqi government reached on oil revenue: "Has it been reached?"
Next came confirmation it has been reached, and another question, does it give a lot of power to Western oil companies?
"I haven't -- yeah, I haven't seen it, so I really don't know what the details are. Sorry."
Finally, one reporter asked McConnell's reaction to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's decision to involve the United States in talks with Iran and Syria.
"Was that an announcement that was made this morning?"
Reporter: "Yes."
"Yeah, I really haven't focused on it yet."

More specifically, a House majority leader. We doubt Senate boss "Give 'em hell" Harry Reid ever blushes.

Maryland Democrat Steny Hoyer grinned and seemed a bit sheepish today when reporters ribbed the majority leader about the Washington Post's front-page article on his rise to power.

At least two scribes called the piece, which included details of his beloved springer spaniel pup, "glowing." At the very least it was a flattering story.

"How much did you pay them?" one reporter asked Hoyer during his weekly briefing.

"I resented some of the attacks in that article but I'm not going to defend myself," he teased back.

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Michael S. Steele, Maryland's former lieutenant governor and onetime rising star of the Republican Party, is hitting up supporters one more time to help pay debt from his failed bid for U.S. Senate last year.

"You've always known me to call it as I see it, so I will get straight to the point," he said in an e-mail to supporters. "Steele for Maryland Inc. has just over $205,000 in unpaid bills from my Senate campaign."

He continued, "As hard as it is to write this letter, you're one of the few I can count on to help me raise the dollars I need to pay all of my committee's bills. ... Because you've always been there when I've needed you, I'm hoping that I count on you to send your contribution today. "

Mr. Steele lost the election to Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, Maryland Democrat.

"I've spent a lot of time thinking about our campaign for the U.S. Senate," he said. "And while it may seem hard to believe given how nasty our opponents were with their attacks, I'd do it again if I had the opportunity."

He stressed his belief in limited government, economic empowerment and personal responsibility.

"If our country expects to succeed, if we expect our children to succeed, we must look to ourselves and not to government to raise our kids, empower our family, start our business, or provide care to our aging parents," he said. "Individual freedom is the means to empowerment; and empowerment is the key to building the wealth necessary for our children and grandchildren to own a piece of America. ...

"These are the beliefs of our Republican Party. These are the beliefs and the principles that drew me to this party 28 years ago and compelled me to run for the U.S. Senate," Mr. Steele said. "You can rest assured that I'm never going to stop fighting. I'm going to remain in the arena. And I sure hope you are going to be standing beside me."

-- S.A. Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

"It shouldn't affect our behavior at all." -- Vice President Dick Cheney, on the suicide bomber who attacked Bagram Air Force base in Afghanistan today while the vice president was there.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, which reportedly killed more than a dozen people, saying they were targeting Mr. Cheney.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

That was President Bush's equivalent of Chris Farley's "fat guy in a little coat" joke, part of his speech last night at the Republican Governor's Association gala.

Mr. Bush warmed up the crowd at the National Building Museum by mentioning his brother, Jeb Bush, who recently finished his second term as governor of Florida.

"Now that he's out of office, I understand Jeb is spending a lot of time on Florida's beaches," Mr. Bush said. "He says people still recognize him -- when he's out there in his Speedo, they come up and say, 'How you doing, Governor Schwarzenegger?'"

The crowd, which included Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, roared with laughter.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times

After his speech at the National Press Club today, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was asked to name other politicians who are modeling what he calls "post-partisanship."

"The Governator" declined to name any names, but during his speech, the Republican took a swipe at Sen. Jim Webb, Virginia Democrat, while criticizing the "division" and "bitterness" in U.S. politics.

"I read where the president asked a senator about his son who is in Iraq," Mr. Schwarzenegger said. "The senator's dismissive reply was not in the spirit of the question. How did that reply advance the public good?"

In November, Mr. Webb slighted President Bush during a White House reception for newly elected senators.

Mr. Bush asked Mr. Webb, a former Marine, about his son, currently a Marine serving in Iraq.

"How's your boy?" Mr. Bush asked Mr. Webb.

Mr. Webb replied that he'd like his son and the rest of the U.S. military to get out of Iraq, to which Mr. Bush replied: "I didn't ask you that. I asked how he's doing."

Mr. Webb later told an aide, according to The Hill newspaper, that he was tempted to punch the president.

Mr. Schwarzenegger, who says he has learned from dealing with California's Democrat-controlled legislature that politicians must work together, said "division is what Washington has come to represent."

-- Jon Ward, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

"The Governator" took an interesting position on Iraq yesterday, during his appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation," which appears to have landed him right where he loves to be -- square in the middle.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Congress should not "micromanage" the war by constraining funding, as House Democrats have said they plan to do, or by rewriting the 2002 authorization of force, as Senate Democrats plan to do.

This way, the California Republican, who told the Politico's Roger Simon this weekend that he might run for the U.S. Senate, satisfies the left's demand for withdrawal while also supporting the president in his current political fight with Congress.

"What good is the non-binding resolutions and all this stuff?" Mr. Schwarzenegger, the Austrian-born former movie star, told CBS' Bob Schieffer. "The Congresss has their choices right there. They can cut off funding for the war, if they really want to stop the war."

Senate Republicans have been saying the same thing.

"They should cut the funding or let the president do what he needs to do, because to micromanage a war is the worst thing, is the ingredient for a loss," Mr. Schwarzenegger said.

But he also said that the U.S. should set a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq.

"I believe very strongly that we should do everything that we can to be victorious and to really create the kind of democracy that we envisioned for iraq, but that we should let the Iraqis know that we are here up to this time and then we are going to draw our troops out," Mr. Schwarzenegger said.

"A timeline is absolutely important. The people in America don't want to see another Korean war, another Vietnam war, where it's an open-ended thing," he said.

-- Jon Ward, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

White House press secretary Tony Snow this morning said Senate Dems should not rewrite the 2002 authorization of force in Iraq

"It may have the same effect as cutting off funding," Mr. Snow said at the morning off-camera "gaggle" with reporters.

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., Delaware Democrat, and Sen. Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat, are working on a proposal to repeal the 2002 authorization and replace it with a more "limited" mission in Iraq.

"You have to ask yourself, what is the point of doing this," Mr. Snow said.

The Biden/Levin plan also calls for U.S. combat troops to be out of Iraq, for the most part, by about March 2008.

-- Jon Ward, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

The Nevada Democratic Party is invoking the name of Howard Dean, the national party chairman, in defending against attacks from the left over plans by "right-wing mouthpiece" Fox News to host the state party's presidential candidates forum.

"Believe me, I am all too aware of the challenges associated with FOX. And this is not an endorsement of FOX," state party chairman Tom Collins said in an e-mail this weekend to Nevada Democrats.

"But Howard Dean has taught us through his 50 state strategy that it's best to stand up and fight everywhere, even in places and among audiences whose opinions may differ from our own," he said, referring to Mr. Dean's plan to challenge Republicans in their strongholds such as Mississippi and Utah and thereby drain some of their resources from swing states.

"We have an opportunity to showcase our strong field of presidential contenders directly and unfiltered to FOX viewers who include Democrats that we need to re-engage in our party to both grow our party and to win the election," Mr. Collins said.

"In Nevada, like the rest of the country, FOX is the highest-rated cable news network, and the debate is being fed to their affiliates throughout the West," he said. Our candidates will reach more people there than they otherwise would have."

He assured Democrats that the state party also planned a Nov. 4. debate on CNN and a forum Wednesday hosted by ABC and George Stephanopoulos.

The left-leaning MoveOn.org began circulating a petition Friday asking the Nevada party to drop Fox from the forum, saying Fox is "a mouthpiece for the Republican Party, not a legitimate news channel."

-- S.A. Miller, Capitol HIll correspondent, The Washington Times

We here at Fishwrap appreciate White House hopeful Sen. Chris Dodd's attempt to be hip on his campaign Web site.

Being a fan of rhyme and alliteration, I even like the idea of the Dodd Pod, a feature the Connecticut Democrat includes on the site to allow supporters to suggest songs he should put in his iPod playlist.

But your humble Fishwrapper couldn't help but notice that the Dodd Pod has been a little, ahem, neglected
lately, to put it nicely.

The last entry was posted almost a month ago, and doesn't exactly suggest encouragement for his longshot presidential bid.

Journey's "Don't Stop Believing," was suggested by Dodd fan Jessica on Jan. 31.

"Because you have the best message, and the best hair!" Jessica told the long-term senator.

If the 2008 contenders were ranked on hair, this Fishwrapper would have to go with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. The Republican hasn't found anything catchy to rhyme with his name yet, but he does have Mitt TV. It's a start.

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

MoveOn.org began circulating a petition this morning to try and block Fox News from hosting a Democratic presidential candidates' debate. The liberal-leaning activist group's civic action arm called Fox "a right-wing mouthpiece" that repeats "false Republican talking points to smear Democrats."

"Fox is a mouthpiece for the Republican Party, not a legitimate news channel. The Democratic Party of Nevada should drop Fox as its partner for the presidential primary debate," reads the petition, which is being circulated via e-mail and on Web sites.

"If ever there was a battle where we could beat Fox, this is it -- since Democrats will make the ultimate decision, not Fox executives," MoveOn says in the e-mail. "But to be convinced, Democratic leaders need to see a growing public backlash."

Fox announced recently it would host a meeting of the Democratic contenders in Reno on Aug. 14.

The move irritated dozens of liberal bloggers who began their own campaign to try and get Nevada officials to reconsider.

CNN, which is doing its own Nevada debate in November, was rumored to have turned the offer down to host the August debate as well.

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Sen. Jon Tester today announced -- with understandable relief -- that he was moving out of his temporary basement office to a second-floor suite more befitting a United States senator.

What's more, he's getting an historic Russell Senate Office Building office that was once occupied by former Sens. Frank Church of Idaho and John Glenn of Ohio.

"Not a day goes by that I am not reminded of the awesome responsibility of this job and those who have walked these halls before me," said Mr. Tester, Montana Democrat. "The opportunity to work for my state in the same room that Frank Church and John Glenn worked for theirs is a special honor."

He plans to move late next month.

Mr. Tester noted that the more than 100-year-old Russell building has played host to some of the most famous events in Senate history, including hearings on the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, the Army-McCarthy Hearings in 1954, and the Watergate investigation in 1973.

The building was also the setting for the Frank Capra's 1939 film, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

-- S.A. Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

ABC has put together a handy photo slideshow of the stars who turned out at a Hollywood fundraiser for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

The Oscars are just a few days away, but these A-listers turned out for the event, which featured dumplings and crab cakes. Many also plan to donate to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York Democrat who was none too pleased that Obama supporter David Geffen made some nasty comments about her.

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

"I'm probably the only candidate here who gets mail from AARP and diaper services." --Sen. Chris Dodd, Connecticut Democrat, appearing at a presidential candidates forum in Nevada.

-- Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Senate Democrats today quickly seized upon British Prime Minister Tony Blair's announced troop withdraws from the Basra region in Iraq.

They said the move vindicated their opposition to President Bush's plan to send reinforcements to Baghdad, despite Mr. Blair saying, "the situation in Basra is very different from Baghdad -- there is no Sunni insurgency, no al-Qaida base, little Sunni-on-Shia violence."

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., Delaware Democrat and candidate for president in 2008, said Mr. Bush should follow Mr. Blair's example.

"Start to draw down our troops from Iraq, not send more into the middle of a civil war," said Mr. Biden, who is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, said Mr. Blair had delivered a "stunning rejection of President Bush's high-risk Iraq policy."

"No matter how the White House tries to spin it, the British government has decided to split with President Bush and begin to move their troops out of Iraq," he said. "This should be a wake up call to the Administration."

-- S.A. Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Rep. Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrat, accused Republicans of "political necrophilia" last Friday during the Iraq war debate.

I asked Mr. Frank's press secretary, Steve Adamske, what he meant by that, but never got a response. However, thanks to the published edition of the congressional record, I now have a bound copy of Mr. Frank's remarks. Here they are:

"The Republicans specialize in this. It is kind of political necrophilia. There is this love of dead Democrats among many Republicans. Democrats who, when they were alive were trashed by the right wing, once they are dead and safely no longer possibly candidates for office, get lionized. Nothing of course shows that better than with Harry Truman, but it is John Kennedy, and it is others."

He was responding to a speech by Rep. Lynn A. Westmoreland, Georgia Republican, who was saying nice things about President Woodrow Wilson, President Franklin Delanor Roosevelt, and President Truman.

-- Jon Ward, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

The forum today for Democratic presidential candidates, in Carson City, Nevada? Sen. Barack Obama's got bigger fish to fry.

Like hanging out with movie stars and raising $1 million.

The New York Times reports that Mr. Obama's staff expects to raise a cool mil tonight at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills.

The event, organized by DreamWorks co-founders David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg, has apparently drawn the likes of Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Aniston, as well as all the big studio bosses.

However, the Times article quotes one anonymous Hillary supporter as saying he wants to go "kick the tires" on Obama, but doesn't plan to support him.

That's Hollywood.
-- Jon Ward, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Democratic presidential hopefuls are flocking to Nevada, home of the party's second caucus next year on Jan. 19.

U.S. Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. is the special guest this evening at the Washoe County Democratic Party's "Let's Get Visible" fundraiser at the Garage at the Grand Sierra Resort.

The party noted that it is the first visit by Mr. Biden, Delaware Democrat, to Reno since announcing his candidacy last month on NBC's "Meet the Press."

John Edwards, the former U.S. senator from North Carolina and 2004 Democratic nominee for vice president, yesterday brought his presidential campaign to Las Vegas, touting his universal health-care plan and visited offices of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
By Wednesday, the state will be teaming with Democratic presidential wannabes for a candidate forum in Carson City.

Slated for the forum are Mr. Biden, Mr. Edwards, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack.

Sen. Barack Obama, Illinois Democrat, couldn't fit the forum into his busy campaign schedule, but he managed to make a stop yesterday in Las Vegas.
- S.A. Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times

Democratic presidential candidate Tom Vilsack, by most accounts a longshot for the 2008 nomination, got some comedic praise for his performance on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno last week.

Vilsack, who just completed his service as Iowa governor, polls in the single digits but made a point to note during his appearance he has always started behind but has never lost a race.
The show opened with a sketch showing an NBC security guard refusing to let Vilsack into the studio because he didn't recognize him as a presidential contender.

The audience roared at Vilsack's comeback after Leno compared him with Democratic superstars Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois. Without missing a beat, he responded: "I'm not a rock star, I'm rock solid."

Vilsack also scored some laughs when offering a vice presidential spot to fellow guest Jim Carrey or to Leno himself.

ABC's political blog The Note noted: "Without a doubt, Vilsack was boffo on Leno."
-Christina Bellantoni, Capitol Hill correspondent, The Washington Times