Can you imagine what's being said in this playschool star chamber? I would give anything to be able to tape it and mail it to Rush.
The last person you might expect to host a Washington dinner for Gov. Bill Owens would be a member of former President Bill Clinton's Cabinet. But that's what's on the agenda for 7 p.m. Thursday at Washington's tony Willard Hotel.
Granted, Owens' benefactor was the lone Republican in that Cabinet, former Defense Secretary Bill Cohen. Cohen now runs a Washington firm that lobbies for defense and homeland security contractors, including Raydon Corp. and Oracle.
It would appear to be a way for Owens, whose presidential ambitions are widely discussed but never admitted, to reach out to the Republican middle. It comes after a trip last month in which Owens reached out to the party's more ideologically conservative intelligentsia. Cohen's invitation dubs Owens "a rising star in American politics."
Cohen assistant Heather Smith rejected The Denver Post's requests to attend the high-level dinner. Perhaps that explains why Owens' press secretary, Dan Hopkins, omitted the Cohen schmooze-fest when he was asked what Owens would be doing in Washington this week.
When asked specifically about the Cohen dinner, Owens' communications director, Sean Duffy, called back to explain that it was one of several "small, informal" and private gatherings Owens has planned for his Wednesday-night-through-Friday trip. But he wasn't divulging details on any of the other private gatherings.
"That's why they're private," Duffy said.
The ostensible purpose of Owens' visit is to give a speech to the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council about "governing on principle." Denver Post, July 27, 2003
Ain't it wonderful that Our Rulers have closed door sessions in fancy resorts to establish how the rest of us will live?