They may not be at the point of chummy backslaps or bear hugs, but it appears that the relationship between Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) and Vice President Cheney is taking a turn for the better. (It couldn’t get any worse, right?)

Last week, Leahy told his colleagues in the Capitol that he went to last week’s Boston Red Sox event at the White House. While there, he said, Cheney approached Leahy and thanked him for some photographs. It’s unclear what the photographs were of, or if they had sentimental value.

“He has given photographs to many people he knows, and he considers it a personal matter,” Leahy spokesman David Carle said.

As many recall, the last time the pair interacted was on the Senate floor when Cheney told the senator, “Go &%@! yourself.”

Case sucks up to colleague with ‘pineapple diplomacy’

Some people use money or compliments to endear themselves to their fellow colleagues. Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) uses pineapples.

The second-term lawmaker recently bestowed one such delectable piece of fruit on Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.), who, in his fourth congressional term, is chairman of the Agriculture Committee Livestock and Horticulture Subcommittee, of which Case just became the ranking member.

“It’s called pineapple diplomacy,” Case said after Hayes walked by and thanked him for the fruit last week.

The pineapple in question indeed came from Hawaii, and apparently was the highest grade of pineapple one can buy. Case doesn’t give the pineapples out to just anyone. According to his staff, the shipments come eight in a bunch, so the lawmaker is pretty selective about who gets them.

It is unclear what happened to the pineapple that Case gave to Hayes. One thing is for sure: Hayes’s aides did not get to taste the fruit.

Oak Ridge Boys and kids help re-teach national anthem

If you can’t recite the national anthem by heart, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

According to a recent Harris survey, two out of three Americans don’t know the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner” and one out of four young adults aren’t even sure which song actually is the anthem.

Tomorrow between 8 and 9 a.m., we’ll all get a lesson when more than 200 schoolchildren from around the nation will join the U.S. Marine Band, recently returned troops and the Oak Ridge Boys for a performance in front of the Capitol. The event is sponsored by the National Association for Music Education.

Rep. Conyers finds continuity bill too morbid

Last week, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) sat in the Speaker’s Lobby reading the newspaper as he waited for the vote to be called on continuity legislation, which would address what happens in case members of Congress are suddenly killed or otherwise incapacitated. The bill calls for states to provide special elections if more than 100 members are killed.

Looking somewhat annoyed, Conyers remarked, “This continuity bill is boring. This is Sensenbrenner’s thing,” referring to his colleague Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, of which Conyers is the ranking Democrat.
Conyers continued, “It’s so morbid. It’s so hard to focus on it.”

Spotted

Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, former guitarist of the Doobie Brothers, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.), who sings and plays guitar, and actor/singer Dan Aykroyd all performed at the Hard Rock Caf� on Friday night. Approximately $3,200 in proceeds will be donated to the United Service Organizations, which will purchase phone cards for soldiers in Iraq.

Look for Crowley to perform again tonight at the Kennedy Center, where he’ll sing Irish songs for Project Children, an organization that works with children in Northern Ireland.

A New Contest: Is your boss funny? Capital Living wants to know…

Over the next several weeks, Capital Living will be seeking nominations for the funniest lawmakers on Capitol Hill. This isn’t an opportunity for us to depict lawmakers in a negative or clownish way. Instead, we would like nominations of lawmakers who are genuinely witty in their approach to congressional life in speeches on the House floor, in meetings with constituents, in committee hearings or in meetings with colleagues.

Please send convincing nominations to Capital Living by e-mailing This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or calling (202) 628-8516. Submissions may be anonymous. A panel of judges will determine who are indeed the funniest lawmakers. Winning results will be appear in The Hill.

Edited by Betsy Rothstein Tips, complaints and sightings: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it