Mullings by Rich Galen | Secret Decoder Ring for April 20, 2001

Presented By

The First Report Card
Friday April 20, 2001

TITLE: "The First Report Card" If there is a report card every hundred days then there will be 14.4 report cards in the first Bush (43) Administration.

"… Grouch Marx …" This is just one of the famous quotes … many from plays and movies, many because he was such a, a grouch.

"… Eisenhower Executive …" The EEOB, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, used to be known as the OEOB, or OLD Executive Office Building.

"… Senior Administration Officials …" Often, if you read the transcripts of briefings in the White House Briefing Room the speaker will only be identified as "A Senior White House Official" even though the press corps knows perfectly well whom they are looking at.

This is done so that the words spoken are not the official words of the Government of the US, but rather background words which can be used by the press for guidance, but which do not have to be defended syllable-by-syllable.

"… Ford, Reagan, and Bush(41) …" Bush(41) and Bush(43) are becoming the standards for separating the two Bush administrations. George H.W. Bush was the 41st President; George W. Bush is the 43rd.

"… approve the Journal …" Rule XIV of the U.S House of Representatives deals with the Order of Business. The first three are:

- First. Prayer by the Chaplain.
- Second. Reading and approval of the Journal, unless postponed under clause 9(a) of rule XX.
- Third. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Only the second requires a vote - or, at least, unanimous consent.

"… Ken Duberstein …" Served as Ronald Reagan's fourth and final chief of staff from July 1, 1988 - January 20, 1989. The previous three (in order) were James Baker, Donald Regan, and Howard Baker.

Mullings' Catchy Caption of the Day:

See? This is what I should have in New York.
-- Photo by Amit Bhargava/ AP

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