What Not to Do in Cancun
State of Play
Heading to Cancún for spring break, random college student in America? Don't forget to read the travel advice from the State Department, which warned this week against "overdoing it" with alcohol. Our diplomats have clearly watched MTV before. The department no longer gathers statistics on how many U.S. citizens get arrested every year, but a count from the George W. Bush administration put the number of Americans arrested overseas during spring break at more than 2,500. Now, if you follow all of the tips from State — including "obey all local laws" and "don't carry or use drugs" — you might return intact. Not included on the State Department's list: sex. Don't worry. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have your back with another piece of advice — they specifically recommend latex condoms. But it's the State Department's last tip that might be the most important: "Keep in touch with your parents." So, college kids, don't drink heavily, don't do drugs, and call your mom.
Matt Vasilogambros
State of Play
Heading to Cancún for spring break, random college student in America? Don't forget to read the travel advice from the State Department, which warned this week against "overdoing it" with alcohol. Our diplomats have clearly watched MTV before. The department no longer gathers statistics on how many U.S. citizens get arrested every year, but a count from the George W. Bush administration put the number of Americans arrested overseas during spring break at more than 2,500. Now, if you follow all of the tips from State — including "obey all local laws" and "don't carry or use drugs" — you might return intact. Not included on the State Department's list: sex. Don't worry. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have your back with another piece of advice — they specifically recommend latex condoms. But it's the State Department's last tip that might be the most important: "Keep in touch with your parents." So, college kids, don't drink heavily, don't do drugs, and call your mom.
Matt Vasilogambros
Drawing Lott
Former Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi, now senior counsel at Patton Boggs, roamed the Capitol basement this week, saying he stopped by to speak to members of his home state's delegation — and sounding very much like he was in Sen. Thad Coch-ran's corner. Asked about the high-profile GOP primary, where Cochran faces serious, outside-group-funded opposition from state Sen. Chris McDaniel, Lott pointed to what he called a McDaniel "misstep," when the candidate said he would have opposed aid that helped Gulf Coast residents after Hurricane Katrina — aid that Cochran helped secure. Lott's statement drew a strong contrast to Cochran's comments in which he admitted to not knowing much about the tea party. That touched off a wave of conservative invective against the incumbent. Lott said Cochran's comments weren't so surprising, because in Mississippi, the Republican Party has essentially been the tea party. Still, Lott conceded, "it's just as well that he hadn't said it."
Michael Catalini
Murmurs
Missing Link The White House Correspondents' Association celebrated its 100th birthday on Tuesday with a look back at a century of fighting for access to the 17 presidents from Woodrow Wilson to Barack Obama. But there was something important missing: the organization's charter, which was framed in 1914 after it was signed by the 11 founding correspondents. From 1914 to 2007, it was displayed on a wall of the White House Press Room. But it was taken away for safekeeping during the renovation of the area — and then lost. WHCA President Steve Thomma has been trying to recover it before the centennial year is over.P
No Going Back Timing is everything in politics. Just ask Liz Cheney. The daughter of the former VP wanted to run for the Senate in Virginia in 2012 but was waved off by Republican leaders. So she bought a home in Wyoming to challenge GOP Sen. Michael Enzi in 2014. Her campaign, beset by charges of carpetbagging and opposed by party leaders who stuck by Enzi, went nowhere. Ironically, Cheney has lived in Northern Virginia for years and would have been a slam-dunk to win Republican Rep. Frank Wolf's congressional seat. But she'd already moved to Wyoming when Wolf announced he was retiring. "There's a time for everything, and it wasn't her time," a veteran GOP analyst says. "Let's hope Liz has learned that lesson before she runs again."
Drawing Lott
Former Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi, now senior counsel at Patton Boggs, roamed the Capitol basement this week, saying he stopped by to speak to members of his home state's delegation — and sounding very much like he was in Sen. Thad Coch-ran's corner. Asked about the high-profile GOP primary, where Cochran faces serious, outside-group-funded opposition from state Sen. Chris McDaniel, Lott pointed to what he called a McDaniel "misstep," when the candidate said he would have opposed aid that helped Gulf Coast residents after Hurricane Katrina — aid that Cochran helped secure. Lott's statement drew a strong contrast to Cochran's comments in which he admitted to not knowing much about the tea party. That touched off a wave of conservative invective against the incumbent. Lott said Cochran's comments weren't so surprising, because in Mississippi, the Republican Party has essentially been the tea party. Still, Lott conceded, "it's just as well that he hadn't said it."
Michael Catalini
Murmurs
Missing Link The White House Correspondents' Association celebrated its 100th birthday on Tuesday with a look back at a century of fighting for access to the 17 presidents from Woodrow Wilson to Barack Obama. But there was something important missing: the organization's charter, which was framed in 1914 after it was signed by the 11 founding correspondents. From 1914 to 2007, it was displayed on a wall of the White House Press Room. But it was taken away for safekeeping during the renovation of the area — and then lost. WHCA President Steve Thomma has been trying to recover it before the centennial year is over.P
No Going Back Timing is everything in politics. Just ask Liz Cheney. The daughter of the former VP wanted to run for the Senate in Virginia in 2012 but was waved off by Republican leaders. So she bought a home in Wyoming to challenge GOP Sen. Michael Enzi in 2014. Her campaign, beset by charges of carpetbagging and opposed by party leaders who stuck by Enzi, went nowhere. Ironically, Cheney has lived in Northern Virginia for years and would have been a slam-dunk to win Republican Rep. Frank Wolf's congressional seat. But she'd already moved to Wyoming when Wolf announced he was retiring. "There's a time for everything, and it wasn't her time," a veteran GOP analyst says. "Let's hope Liz has learned that lesson before she runs again."