For the Record

National Review, April 30, 2001

President Bush: "We need significant tax relief-I mean significant tax relief-and we need it now." . . . Sen. John Breaux (D., La.): "A tax cut over $1 trillion that is supported by a large majority is a huge victory for him. Whether it's $1.3 trillion, 1.4, 1.5, or 1.6, it doesn't make that much difference." . . . Rep. Jennifer Dunn (R., Wash.) defends House vote eliminating death tax, in New York Times: "We all know that if you leave any part of this tax intact, this tax will grow back." . . . Black Entertainment Television's Robert L. Johnson mobilizes prominent black business leaders against death tax on grounds it widens wealth gap between blacks and whites. . . . Vice President Cheney, on ABC: "This president is eager to veto appropriations that come in over budget."

Bush, on judicial nominations: "I may decide to send somebody up that will create a tough fight, I don't know. I haven't gotten there yet. But of course, if I pick somebody, I want them to get confirmed, so we'll be mindful of that." . . . Solicitor general nominee Ted Olson, during confirmation hearings: "It is not my agenda to seek an opportunity to overturn Roe v. Wade." . . . Justice Antonin Scalia, speaking at Tulane University, on Supreme Court's role in 2000 election: "The Court's taken a lot of heat for it? It's news to me! . . . You must be under the impression we're watching these shows.". . . Bill Clinton, on Bush administration, according to Variety: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and that's what they're concentrating on." . . . Clinton formally pays $25,000 fine with personal check, in deal with independent counsel Robert Ray that also cost Clinton his law license for 5 years. . . . Final price of Ken Starr and Ray's investigations of President Clinton: $59.9 million, according to GAO.

New York Post asks Sen. Hillary Clinton (D., N.Y.): "Are you ruling out a run for president not just in 2004, but in 2008 and beyond?" Clinton replies: "Yes." . . . More Hillary, on book for which she received $8 million advance: "I think I'm writing this book so I can just understand my own life." . . . In televised address, California governor Gray Davis (D.) says state must cut energy use by 10 percent and hike rates by 26.5 percent. The speech, quips Harvey Rosenfield of Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, says "turn out the lights, turn off your air conditioners, take out your wallet." . . . Al Gore's campaign manager Donna Brazile, in Harvard Political Review: "I think in retrospect if we could have done one thing differently, I would have started the campaign off in Tennessee. Perhaps that would have allowed us to spend more resources in the Vice President's home state and given the people there a better opportunity to see him as one of their own and not as an outsider."

n Sen. Joe Lieberman (D., Conn.), on whether he'll run for president in 2004, on CBS: "Don't bet on it." . . . Clinton chief of staff Erskine B. Bowles considers challenging Sen. Jesse Helms (R., N.C.) next year. . . . Cathy Keating, wife of Gov. Frank Keating (R.), says she will run for seat now held by departing Rep. Steve Largent (R., Okla.). . . . Florida considers restoring voting rights to ex-felons. . . . Ron K. Unz may run anti-bilingual-education initiative in Colorado next year. . . . Priests for Life to spend $12 million on media campaign, including thousands of billboards bearing message, "Hurting from Abortion? The Doors of the Church are Open!"

Bush: "In my sentences, I go where no man has gone before." . . . Jennifer Hoyt of Associated Press: "Bush's predecessor, Bill Clinton, could discuss any issue at length. Bush, by his own omission, occasionally stumbles over his words. On Thursday, he poked fun at one such miscue when he fumbled the word 'underestimate.'" (Thanks to Rich Galen for spotting this "omission.") . . . . Number of people claiming American Indian ancestry doubles, according to 2000 census. . . . Rep. J. C. Watts (R., Okla.): "Dolly the sheep will learn to fly before the U.S. House of Representatives condones human cloning." . . . Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R., N.Y.), in National Journal: "After thirty years in public life, I consider redistricting politics the toughest to survive." . . . Los Angeles Times, editorializing for campaign-finance reform: "Foes [of McCain-Feingold] will . . . argue that the reform bill is a massive affront to the First Amendment's guardianship of free speech as well. Don't listen to them."

Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak on Saddam Hussein, in Newsweek interview: "The more you bomb him, the stronger he gets. . . . The Iraqi opposition you have in the United States-forget about it. They cannot deliver-now or after Saddam. Any opposition group from outside the country that is known as working with the Americans is seen as traitors to the people." . . . Canadian navy considers equipping ships with theater-range anti-ballistic missiles. . . . Tourism plummets 80 percent in areas of Britain hit worst by foot-and-mouth disease, reports The Independent. . . . Buddhist organization in Sri Lanka plans to build scaled-down replica of Bamiyan Buddhas demolished by Taliban regime in Afghanistan, asks India and Pakistan to aid project.