Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:
Not Evil, Just Sick?
New York Congressman Charlie Rangel is calling Vice President Cheney a “son of a bitch” and says he should go to “rehab” for “whatever personality deficit he may have suffered.” Rangel talked to The New York Post after Cheney made the media rounds saying a Democratic takeover of the house could result in higher taxes.
Cheney said here on FOX — “Charlie doesn’t understand how the economy works.” Rangel then ripped into Cheney — and it isn’t the first time. Rangel told a New York cable TV station last year, “I would like to believe he’s sick rather than just mean and evil.” Asked by The Post whether he still believes that — Rangel said “I don’t think he’s shot anyone in the face lately, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.” Today Rangel didn’t apologize but said, “I could have expressed myself differently.”
White House spokesman Tony Snow said it appears Democrats have an anger management problem — but the vice president had “a big hearty laugh” at Rangel’s comments.
Kennedy & the Kremlin
A new book is alleging that Senator Ted Kennedy tried to help the Soviets undermine Ronald Reagan‘s nuclear defense policy and influence the 1984 presidential election. Author Paul Kengor says Kennedy sent an envoy to meet with Kremlin leaders, offered to give Soviet President Yuri Andropov talking points about disarmament and set up TV interviews for him. The head of the KGB said Kennedy was concerned about what he called “Reagan’s belligerence” and his popularity in the U.S.
The senator’s office responded today, telling FOX News the book is “way off the mark.” It said Kennedy had a constructive relationship with President Reagan and used his Soviet contacts to help the president in his arms control efforts.
Dead and Voting
As politicians from both parties try to appeal to any and all voter groups — there is one that may be overlooked — dead people. The Poughkeepsie Journal reports New York state voter registration lists include 77,000 dead people — and as many as 2,600 of them have voted.
Democrats back from the grave to cast ballots outnumber Republicans by more than four to one.
Dead but Elected
Meanwhile a tie in a school board election in the remote town of Adak, Alaska has been broken by a coin toss. Incumbent Katherine Dunton won when challenger Dona Highstone called heads, and the coin landed on tails.
The only problem is that Dunton is dead. She died on Election Day — but state law said they had to break the tie anyway.
Not at a Theater Near You?
And the controversial film “Death of a President” — about a fictional assassination of President Bush — tanked at the box office in its first weekend. The film played in only 143 theaters in the U.S. and Canada and took in just $282,000 dollars.
At least two national theater chains declined to show the film and some TV networks refused to run ads promoting it.
—FOX News Channel’s Martin Hill contributed to this report.
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