Bush White

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - Based on President-elect George W. Bush's remarks during his presidential campaign, Africa might expect to win about as much attention from the new American president as Antarctica. "While Africa may be important," Bush said early in the campaign, "it doesn't fit into the national strategic interests, as far as I can see them." Africa, at other times, was glaringly missing from his discussions of foreign policy, and his choice of Dick Cheney as a running mate seemed to confirm a disregard for Africa, critics say. As a congressman, Cheney voted in 1986 against a resolution calling for the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in South Africa and opposed economic sanctions against the apartheid regime.

LOS ANGELES - When Republicans laid siege to the Clinton administration, piling one investigation atop another, few defenders were as staunch as Rep. Henry A. Waxman. He decried the pursuit as blind partisanship, a way for the GOP "to get even for Watergate." But now that the proverbial shoe has switched feet, the Democrat from the west side of Los Angeles has assumed a new role, rather like that of his old nemeses. On issues from ethics to the environment, Waxman has emerged as one of the leading antagonists of President Bush and his underlings.

WASHINGTON - George W. Bush accused the Clinton administration yesterday of interfering in Israel's internal affairs, charging the White House with backing Ehud Barak over Benjamin Netanyahu in Israeli elections last year. "In recent times, Washington has tried to make Israel conform to its own plans and timetables," the likely Republican presidential nominee told a powerful pro-Israel lobbying organization. "A clear and bad example was the administration's attempt to take sides in the most recent Israeli election.

WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury has subpoenaed at least two journalists, Tim Russert of NBC's Meet the Press and Michael Cooper of Time magazine, to testify about whether the Bush White House leaked the identity of an undercover CIA officer to the news media. Lawyers for both NBC and Time said they would fight the subpoenas. NBC said a subpoena could have a "chilling effect" on its ability to report the news. In a statement, Neal Shapiro, the network's president, said, "Sources will simply stop speaking with the press if they fear those conversations will become public."

JENNIFER DUNN, 66 Former congresswoman Former Rep. Jennifer Dunn, who became the most powerful Republican woman in Washington state history during six terms representing Seattle's east-side suburbs, died Wednesday at her Virginia home after developing a blood clot, her family said in a statement. Dunn, a favorite of both Bush White Houses, was Washington state's ranking Republican in Congress when she retired in 2004. She told the Associated Press at the time that she was pursuing a new career as a policy adviser and planned to enjoy time with her new husband and baby granddaughter.

With the inauguration tomorrow, many people may wonder what stock categories will thrive during the Bush administration. Personal Finance newsletter lists companies "that will reap billions from a Bush presidency." They include: Lockheed Martin Corp. "Boosting military spending was one of Bush's central campaign themes, and this company stands to be a huge beneficiary." Enron Corp. "Enron's vision of utility deregulation is certain to get a sympathetic ear in the new administration." Nabors Industries Inc. "With energy companies now starting to produce for higher projected oil and gas prices, demand and rates for Nabors' rigs will continue to rise."

Here are last week's top TV shows, according to A. C. Nielsen Co. figures: ........................................ ................................................Rating 1 Friends................................. ...............................NBC 14.3 2 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...................CBS 13.3 3 NFC Championship Post-Game Show.......Fox 12.2 4 Everybody Loves Raymond.........................CBS 12.1 5 Rose Red, Part 1.............................................

WASHINGTON -- New York Times reporter Judith Miller agreed yesterday to make a second appearance before a federal grand jury after turning over newly discovered notes and meeting with prosecutors investigating the outing of a CIA operative, the newspaper said. Miller agreed to testify today to "supplement her earlier testimony," New York Times executive editor Bill Keller said in an e-mail to the Times staff. The request, from special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald, followed a meeting between Miller and Fitzgerald yesterday at which the reporter turned over "additional notes" and answered questions, Keller said.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano; White House press secretary Robert Gibbs; Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. 9 a.m.: WMDT (Channel 47) 10 a.m. WJLA (Channel 7) 10:30 a.m.: WMAR (Channel 2) Gibbs; Reps. James Clyburn, D-S.C., and Peter King, R-N.Y. 10:30 a.m.: WUSA (Channel 9) and WJZ (Channel 13) Gibbs; New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.; Gov. Deval Patrick, D-Mass.

After months of equivocation Mario Cuomo at long last says he won't run for president. This announcement no doubt brought a great sigh of relief in the Bush White House.Like Ronald Reagan, albeit in a very different way, Mario Cuomo is a made-for-TV candidate in a time in which perception often overwhelms reality. And as a television-age candidate, Cuomo is an incandescent personality who throws off 1,000 watts while George Bush is a whiney personality who throws off about as much wattage as a small Christmas candle.