Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:
Despite claims to the contrary, President Bush is not the first to assert the executive power to authorize warrantless searches. The National Review notes that President Clinton's deputy attorney general, Jamie Gorelick told the Senate Intelligence Committee in 1994 that an executive order signed by President Reagan provided for warrantless searches against "a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power," saying, "The Department of Justice believes, and the case law supports, that the president has inherent authority to conduct warrantless physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes."
The Washington Post reported that defense of warrantless searches... on page A-19.
Poll Trends
The latest Gallup Poll shows President Bush's job approval dropping a point to 41 percent. But other major polls have the president trending strongly upward in the wake of a vigorous defense of his Iraq policy and the successful Iraqi elections.
A Real Clear Politics average of the five latest polls puts the president's approval at close to 45 percent — his highest average in more than 4 months. Congress, however, is not so lucky. The latest average puts congressional job approval at just 31 percent.
His Name Off the Map?
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has told his Austrian hometown to stop using his name to promote the city, after local politicians protested Schwarzenegger's decision to deny clemency to death row inmate Stanley "Tookie" Williams.
The former gang member, who was convicted of four brutal murders, was executed last week prompting officials in the city of Graz to launch a petition drive to rename Schwarzenegger Stadium. But in a letter to the city council, the Republican governor says, "In order to spare the responsible politicians of the city of Graz further concern, I withdraw from them...the right to use my name."
Fish Flap
Last week we told you that Washington state Democrats were under fire for selling a mocking magnetic parody of a Christian symbol on their web site. Now, the woman who owns the rights is using the controversy to talk up her true passion... legalizing marijuana.
Allison Bigelow markets the flaming fish as part of her "Reefer Magnets" business and tells the Skagit Valley Herald, "We wouldn't be such a warring people if we used more cannabis and used less alcohol." Bigelow adds, "We don't need to be in a war for oil because we have industrial hemp." Meanwhile, the Seattle activist who created the fish is avoiding the spotlight, saying he fears for the safety of his cats.
— FOX News' Aaron Bruns contributed to this report
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