WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Capital Comment -- News notes, political rumors, and important events that shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world from United Press International.
What's in a name? -- The re-election efforts of Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr., D-Ill., son of the famed black politician, have been thrown off track by the recruitment of another "Jesse L. Jackson" to appear on the Democrat's 2nd Congressional District primary ballot. While challenging the other Jackson's candidacy in court, the congressman and his political operatives are taking no chances. They have come up with a strategy to thwart those who oppose their guy in the March Democratic primary. Instead of "Vote for Jackson" buttons, the incumbent's supporters will be sporting campaign buttons reading simply, "Junior."
Dialing for dollars -- The ultra-liberal People for the American Way is burning up the Internet with a cyber-alert over their fears that President George W. Bush will withhold from the United Nations Population Fund the entire $34 million authorized by Congress -- $9 million more than the White House asked for in its budget. PFAW says that, "Under extreme pressure from right-wing groups, President Bush has signaled he may exercise his option to withhold all of the $34 million. The Far Right is already calling the White House asking the president to 'zero' [the] funding" and that supporters should contact the White House, telling him "to fully fund UNFPA."
With friends like these -- The New York Post reports that Wall Street wizard Michael Steinhardt, former chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, is taking Tel Aviv University to task for presenting an honorary degree to former U.S. President Bill Clinton. According to the Post, Steinhardt told the Israeli media that Clinton's personal mistakes outweighed his political achievements. Steinhardt, who now chairs the university's International Board of Governors, also is said to be upset over the university's dedication of the Clinton Center for American Studies.
Sounds good -- Columnist David Limbaugh reports that his brother radio talk show titan Rush Limbaugh has regained close to 80 percent of his hearing thanks to a revolutionary operation performed several weeks ago. David Limbaugh made the announcement at Thursday night's Media Research Center dinner in Washington.
Following suit -- House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., will present to the Democratic Leadership Council to present a "Long-Term Agenda for American Growth and Prosperity" at the Washington Court Hotel on Thursday, Jan. 24. The speech is being billed as a call for "an innovative, long-term strategy to help America reach its economic goals during the next decade."
Because everyone needs a Mom -- President Bush's budget for 2003 will include $60 million to help older foster children and young adults pay for college and vocational education so that they gain the skills they need to live independently, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced Friday. The announcement came one day after the president signed legislation authorizing the new help for older foster care children. Thompson said the president's fiscal year budget will fully fund the initiative to provide education vouchers of up to $5,000 each year for foster children and young adults, ages 16 to 21, who "age out" of the foster care system. At least 12,000 foster children would receive these vouchers to pay for college tuition or vocational education, increasing their prospects of becoming self-sufficient and living independently.
Step in the right direction -- Grace-Marie Turner, head of the free-market health policy Galen Institute, is praising the decision by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. to introduce a new program to help seniors meet their prescription drug needs. The new plan, called the Share Card, will help low-income seniors get access to the drugs they need as long as Pfizer manufactures them. Seniors below 200 percent of poverty with no drug coverage can get a month's supply of any prescription for just $15. "The company is providing its drugs and creating this program to help seniors right now while Congress is mired in the politics of a Medicare drug benefit, Turner says, calling it an example of how the market can react to meet pressing needs.
Personnel note -- Gregg Rickman, formerly the legislative director for former Sen. Alphonse D'Amato, R-N.Y., and Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, R-Ill., has been named congressional affairs director for the Republican Jewish Coalition... Brain Kennedy, vice president of the conservative Claremont Institute in California, has been named acting president of the organization following the death of Institute President Thomas B. Silver... Terry Nelson, a partner in the political and public affairs media firm Dawson McCarthy Nelson, has been named the Republican National Committee's deputy chief of staff and executive director of political affairs.
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