Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Alien diversity

It’s not just Mexicans sneaking across the Texas line into the United States.

In his new book, “From Power to Purpose,” Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas Republican and 2008 presidential candidate, writes about a visit he and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff made to a U.S. detention facility in El Paso, Texas.

“As I looked around at the people who were incarcerated there, I saw Asians, Europeans, Latinos and Africans,” says Mr. Brownback. “I asked the warden how many different countries were represented in the facility. He told me there were people from 49 different countries.”

Now hear this

That was Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who given his impressive budget-balancing act is now on the “A” list of potential Republican vice presidential candidates, posing for a friendly photo with actress Goldie Hawn, a longtime supporter of Democrats, at Bill and Tani Austin’s Starkey Hearing Foundation awards gala.

Mr. Pawlenty supports Arizona Sen. John McCain for president, although other Republican candidates are eyeing him as a formidable running mate. After all, upon assuming a $4.5 billion budget deficit when becoming governor in 2002, he set out to eliminate the deficit without raising taxes. Not only was the budget balanced by 2005, it transformed into a $2.2 billion surplus at the end of 2006.

The hearing foundation gala, which raised $4.5 million to help fit free hearing aids for poor children around the world, honored Miss Hawn, Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, and philanthropists Al and Cathy Annexstad. Master of ceremonies was NBC “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno.

Born to battle

Democrats and Republicans took to the field at RFK Stadium last night for the annual congressional baseball game, which began in 1909 as a “casual game among colleagues.”

That would change. Democrats beat Republicans that first year 26-16, and by 1913 the Republican Party was getting walloped by a score of 29-4. (Imagine what the score might have been had the game not been called because of rain in the fourth inning.)

The most lopsided contest was in 1928, when Republicans were crushed 36-4. Finally, in 1932, Republicans got to gloat, winning 19-5. Albeit, that wasn’t enough runs as far as the GOP batters were concerned. “The official score of this game is disputed,” explains the House Clerk’s office. “Umpire Tunney ruled a high fly ball hit in the last inning by Republicans an out instead of a home run.” Last night the Republicans won again, by a score of 5-2 — their 7th win in a row.

Fine fellows

The 15 members of the 2007-2008 class of White House Fellows are hereby appointed, representing fields of medicine, law, finance, media, engineering, education, state government and three branches of the U.S. military.

Selection as a White House Fellow is highly competitive, based on “remarkable professional achievement, evidence of leadership skills, [and] a strong commitment to public service,” says the White House. Indeed, the program has fostered the likes of former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao and 2008 Republican presidential candidate Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas.

The new class includes lawyer Jaime Areizaga; Morgan Stanley Vice President Louis Bremer; pediatrician Dr. Patrick Conway; Air National Guard Maj. Bobbi Doorenbos (among the first female F-16 pilots, she scrambled on September 11 to provide presidential protection); Air Force Lt. Col. Dawn Dunlop (with more than 3,000 flight hours in 33 aircraft, she’s commander of advanced avionics and weapons testing for the Pentagon); Army Maj. John Gallagher; and Air Force Lt. Col. Stacey Hawkins (a squadron commander and veteran of Iraq).

Additional fellows are Washington Telemundo general manager Julissa Marenco; Washington State Patrol Lt. Travis Matheson; American Stock Transfer & Trust Co. Senior Vice President Anne Neuberger; Georgetown University’s assistant director of the Berkley Center for Religion and World Affairs, Eric Patterson; physician Dr. Jaewon Ryu; Walt Disney program engineer Kristine Singley; National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Chief Operating Officer Andrew Smarick; and Army Maj. Kathryn Spletstoser (who helped train both Afghan and Iraqi security forces).

When in America

The black sedan with diplomatic tags pulled up alongside a lemonade stand in Old Town Alexandria manned by Lane and Finn McCaslin, a sister-and-brother team who were doing a brisk business on a hot and sunny Sunday afternoon.

Offering up quarters to quench his thirst was the current Philippine ambassador to the United States, Willy C. Gaa, who presented his credentials to President Bush on Dec. 8. Most recently, Mr. Gaa was his country’s ambassador to China, and prior to that ambassador to Australia, Libya, Tunisia, Malta and Niger.

c John McCaslin can be reached at 202/636-3284 or jmccaslin@washington times.com.

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