In her latest Political Points commentary, CBS News Senior Political Editor Dotty Lynch takes stock of what's happened in Washington in the last few months – and what hasn't.
Washington has suddenly become very pretty and very quiet. The elected officials left town just as the cherry blossoms popped out. We are worried that the tourists will continue to stay away but are half-hoping that we might have the tidal basin to ourselves. As we go off for a few days, it's a good time to take stock of what's happened in the last few months – and what hasn't.
1. Campaign finance reform got passed and signed thanks mainly to Enron. No one really knows what the impact will be in the future, but none of the pressure to change the system seems to have daunted this years' candidates from getting it while they can. 2. Democratic consultants keep writing these Chicken Little memos claiming that the president's ratings are falling, but the last time we looked they were holding fairly steady at about 80 percent. And with the economy getting better, the Democrats are having trouble finding a way to urge voters to throw the Republicans out. 3. While the Democrats have become increasingly pessimistic about taking back the House in 2002, their 2004 presidential candidates are campaigning like that election is a month away. The lesson of '92, when almost all of the "wise guys" said Bush the elder was unbeatable, is in the forefront of their minds and they are all competing for opportunity to keynote JJ Dinners around the country. 4. President Bush is out-Clintoning Clinton as a permanent campaigner. Since February 6, he's done 12 fund-raisers, 11 on the road and one in D.C. The road trips have been twofers – a substantive speech plus a political fund-raiser – which have brought in a total of about $13 million for the GOP and allow the cost of the trip to be split between the government and the campaigns. Most of the trips have been to states that will be key for Bush in 2004.5. The Democrats' attempt to demonize the Republican congressional leadership has been pretty ineffective. With Dick Armey retiring and Tom DeLay taking a fairly low profile, the Democrats are desperately looking for a Newt Gingrich to kick around.6. The Republicans' attempt to demonize Tom Daschle, on the other hand, has worked quite well, at least among their base. They have also, however, enhanced Daschle's cachet as the top Democrat voice and a 2004 candidate. 7. The Bush White House has used its political capital to interfere in GOP primaries – a real departure from other Democratic and Republican administrations. Most of their attempts have been successful, recruiting strong candidates in key Senate races in Missouri, South Dakota and Minnesota and clearing the primary field for them. California was an embarrassment, however, with the president's hand-picked candidate, moderate Richard Riordan, losing to conservative Bill Simon. Nonetheless, Karl Rove & Company remain committed interventionists. 8. Rudy Giuliani has eclipsed John McCain as the favorite Republican moderate and fund-raising draw. The California gubernatorial campaign of Bill Simon credits Giuliani's visits and TV ads with putting Simon's candidacy in play, and Giuliani's appearance at a National Republican Congressional Committee fund-raiser last month raised $7.5 million for Republican House candidates. 9. Hillary Clinton has become officially boring, just the way she wanted. As she relentlessly pushes her projects for New York and ploddingly attends Senate committee hearings and networks with her colleagues, the tabloid spotlight has moved on to Chelsea who seems to be having quite a wonderful European spring. 10. Charles Pickering is just the beginning. There's a cottage industry being built by liberals and conservatives gearing up for the first big Supreme Court fight. The politics of personal destruction is great for fund-raising, especially for building those direct mail lists. Much more to come. But not right now. I'm off to check out those blossoms.