Rep. Jim Davis (D-Fla.): Paraded in Key West with his son. (He was also there campaigning for governor.)

Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.): Participated in a parade in his hometown, Saugerties. Last week, he said, “I’ll be walking. I’ll know most of [the crowd], and there will be thousands of people. [I’ll be wearing] regular clothes. Sometimes I wear a tie and a jacket. Afterwards there’s a big field-day activity. People gather around booths with food. It’s really fun. I’ve done it every year for a long time.”

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio): Last week, he said, “Parades. Parades. Parades. Fireworks. Fireworks. Fireworks. Fireworks. And then some parades. And then when I’m done with that I’ll probably go to some parades.”

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.): The congresswoman spent the day at a 14th annual session of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe fighting for voting rights for the residents of D.C. Last week, she said, “Rather than telling you I’ll be playing ball on the Mall, I’m trying to tell you something that is more important. It’s the first time parliamentarians have ever met here.”

Rep. McCaul as Rodney Dangerfield
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who was recently chosen by his freshman peers to serve as a representative to the GOP leadership, is struggling the way most freshman lawmakers do during their first months in Congress. Virtual unknowns, they want notoriety, but they want it to be favorable and full of respect — unlike the lack of respect that Rodney Dangerfield relentlessly complained of in his routines.

Enter Jack Hirschfeld to the rescue, McCaul’s �ber press secretary who tried to preempt the press last week when his boss showed up to a hydrogen press conference, only to be introduced as someone other than himself — who that someone else is unclear. Apparently the name was just grumbled.

So Hirschfeld called The Hill, making a plea to whatever Hill reporter was covering the presser to get his boss’s name right please.

“Someone introduced Congressman McCaul as someone other than Congressman McCaul. We couldn’t even understand what name he used. If you could make sure they spell his name correctly and identify him correctly [we’d really appreciate it],” Hirschfeld said in a voicemail message.

Get to Georgetown in a jiffy for $1
It’s a wonder why any Capitol Hill aide might need to get to Georgetown in a hurry in the middle of a workday, but if the shopping bug strikes, or if you just want to go and have lunch, aides will be able to hop on a new bus from Union Station all for the low price of $1.

The fleet of 29 colorful buses facilitating the service are called the DC Circulator and will run from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

The Belgian-made Circulator is owned by the city’s Department of Transportation. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will manage the service, and First Transit, a private-sector transit operator, will operate it. The District, the federal government and city business leaders that supported the service will fund operating costs.

Approximate bus time door to door: 30 minutes.
 

A confusing congressional duo
When Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) came to Congress in 2002, he quickly became acquainted with an Alabama Republican primarily because they share the same name — Mike Rogers.

Since then, congressional life has grown confusing. And it’s a part of daily life in their respective offices. For example, the Detroit Free Press has called the Alabama Mike Rogers to inquire about automotive issues. Constituents from both states are constantly calling the wrong office, needing to be transferred.

In one instance, MoveOn.org protested in front of Rogers’s Michigan office, but some of the information actually referred to the congressman from Alabama.

The beginning was particularly confusing. When Rogers (Mich.) first arrived, he and the Alabaman both served on the Transportation Committee. Since then, the Alabaman has moved on to Energy and Commerce and Intelligence.

The offices get territorial about their Rogers.

“My Mike Rogers came in 2003, and from day one the phones started ringing for [the other Mike Rogers], and we had to tell them, quite disappointedly, that it wasn’t him,” said Marshall Macomber, spokesman for Rogers (Ala.).

“Clearly when people call with a Midwestern accent, we tell them they probably want to talk to their congressman.”

The Alabama Rogers’s office, meanwhile, is full of “y’alls and yes ma’ams.”
In addition to the two Mike Rogerses, there’s Harold Rogers (R-Ky.), eight Davises, three Greens, five Johnsons, four Lewises, five Millers, two Morans, three Smiths and three Ryans (one spelled Ryun).

Weight Watchers on Capitol Hill
Want to lose weight the Weight Watchers way?

Assistance is available through education and training for the Senate. An ongoing Weight Watchers group meets each week and has for about five years. The course is 12 weeks. The cost is $150. The next one starts August 26; registration begins the week of Aug. 15-19.

The group is quite popular, and there are 20 to 25 Senate staffers each session. To sign up, go to SH121 or call Noreen Velton, the health-promotion administrator, at (202) 224-7952. The only requirement for attendance is that you must be Senate staff.

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