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By Betsy Rothstein
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Posted: 06/28/07 06:43 PM [ET] |
Much like Ricky Martin’s song, life on Capitol Hill can be quite the spectacle on a daily basis, full of characters we couldn’t invent if we tried — the expression “truth is stranger than fiction” comes swiftly to mind.
So we decided we would keep our eyes peeled for strange occurrences and people, and there is no shortage where those are concerned.
The Capitol Hill front lawn can be filled with lawmakers speaking out for prayer, only to be interrupted by chanting Code Pink war protesters with pink hair, pink clothing and plastic crowns atop their heads.
“They are so outlandish and so theatrical that any validity or seriousness in their message is lost in the stupidity,” remarked one GOP aide. “Code Pink feels like a stage production at a rehab clinic.”
But it’s not just Code Pink that captures our attention. It’s anything out of the ordinary, such as the man standing outside the Cannon Building wearing a hot pink blazer as he peruses a binder of presumably important materials. Or a male House aide in pink trousers, or a visitor inside Cannon with a megaphone.
And then there are those who come to the Capitol donning the American flag for flag-inspired clothing — like red, white and blue windbreakers, complete with stars and stripes. The flag also comes in hats and shirts and belts.
“Seeing the colorful folks of Capitol Hill every day is one of the joys of the job,” said a Democratic campaign aide. “Some might question their mental stability and their fashion sense, but I applaud their courage and their patriotism. These folks make America the great country it is.”
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