Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:
School Fees
The economic stimulus package passed by the House last week will give Milwaukee public schools more than $88 million for new construction. But the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the district has 15 vacant buildings — a large surplus of property — and no construction plans. The report says school enrollment is declining every year. And the last major construction in 2000, “resulted in projects that are underused, have not met enrollment projections or have closed.”
Change of Heart
When then President-elect Obama was naming his Cabinet in December, many feminist groups were upset over their perceived lack of representation. It seems that anger has dissipated and those women’s groups are now claiming Mr. Obama is the first “feminist president”. Cybercast News reports the president of the group Feminist Majority — Eleanor Smeal — said Monday that when she met Mr. Obama “he immediately offered, ‘I am a feminist.'”
She also handed out a special inaugural issue of her organization’s magazine — which created artwork of President Obama wearing a T-shirt that reads, “This is what a feminist looks like.”
Feminist author Christina Page says, “week one of Obama’s administration, we thought maybe we should start packing our things, because our whole agenda is going to get done by the end of the month.”
Passing Judd-ment
Ashley Judd has a new target. A week after attending a pro-choice luncheon in Washington in which she attacked former President Bush for his anti-abortion policies and said, “It’s so nice to live in America again.” The actress is now going after Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The Politico newspaper reports Judd appears in a Web video for the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund and attacks Palin for allegedly promoting the aerial killing of wolves in Alaska. Judd even suggests the former Republican vice presidential candidate proposed bounties for the severed forelegs of killed wolves.
She says, “It is time to stop Sarah Palin and stop this senseless tragedy.”
Repeat After Me
And finally, you may remember Vice President Joe Biden poked fun at Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts for flubbing President Obama’s inaugural oath.
But Monday, Biden swore in Hillary Clinton as secretary of state and discovered just how hard reciting an oath can be — even if you are reading from your own notes:
After smoothly saying and having Clinton repeat that she does “solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” Biden, who was using a note card, faltered.
“… that I will bear — excuse me … that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same …”
He then continued without incident after a hearty laugh from the audience. Click here to see FOXNews.com’s report on the incident.
Monday’s event was ceremonial. Clinton was officially sworn in on January 21.
— FOX News Channel’s Zachary Kenworthy contributed to this report.
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