By Betsy Rothstein
May 22, 2007

Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) may not know whether an alleged land-swap deal will hurt him on the Hill, but he knows good fashion humor when he sees it.

At a recent luncheon to honor a group that helps abused children, B-listers such as Kathie Lee Gifford and Cheryl Ladd mingled with the founder of St. John Knits, Marie Gray. Ads for the upscale line of women's wear feature a sultry Angelina Jolie — in the fancy Senate banquet hall, the clothing looked somewhat more sober.

"This is not a St. John's suit," Renzi said, contrasting himself with the women in the room who had donned the company's signature pastel ensembles for the event.

Men's fashion long has provided politicians with easy material for self-deprecating jokes. What, male lobbyists and lawmakers have fashion sense?

Men in many lines of work — but particularly those who toil in the scotch-soaked, cigar-smokeshrouded power structure that is Capitol Hill — tend to radiate idiocy when it comes to dress, as if caring about cuffs and collars would put into question their masculinity. Such men discuss attire with one another only in jest. They often say their spouses dress them:
They have neither the time nor the interest to shop.

Last year, the president of Fox News, Roger Ailes, spoke of his lack of fashion sense during a gathering at Charlie Palmer Steak, admitting that his wife, Elizabeth Tilson, buys all his clothes.

There are a few stylish exceptions on Capitol Hill.

House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Reps. John Linder (R-Ga.) and David Dreier (RCalif.) are dapper dressers. And times are changing, however slightly. There are former runway models in congressional offices. There are designers in our midst. In recent years, Washington has welcomed the launches of glossy magazines like D.C. Modern Luxury, D.C. Style and Capitol File. More than ever, men in politics are stepping out and straying from the tired uniform of blue blazer, khaki pants, blue oxford and red tie.

Presidential hopeful Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) was spotted last week striding through the basement of Longworth in an Al-Gore-esque beige suit, white shirt and power-red tie. The ensemble suited him and his mood followed suit — he was happy and relaxed in beige.

The press secretary for Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) and a newcomer to the Hill, Fred Piccolo, however, recently showed up to lunch at Banana Cafe in the uniform. He said he was embarrassed to be wearing it, but that he had no choice. He hadn't done his laundry.

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) sympathized with the young aide, although he isn't one to live in navy and khaki. "The only [criterion] should be whether it's clean," he said. His own outfit seemed to defy spring — a brown tweed jacket with a bubblegum-pink bow tie.

Michael Fulton, an intern to Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), only has been on Capitol Hill for three weeks but already he's acquainted with the uniform. His take on men's fashion in the Capitol: "It's not GQ; it's very uniform — gray and blue suits and red and blue ties."

GQ it may not be. But there are glimmers of high-end haberdashery and elevated taste in our midst. Mustafa Santiago Ali, an aide to Judiciary Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), a lawmaker known for his snappy dressing, is a former runway model.

In the Rayburn Cafeteria he stuck out not only because of his dreadlocks but also for his smooth style. "It's a very conservative climate," he said, explaining that he was born in São Paolo, Brazil, and raised in Jamaica, Brooklyn and West Virginia.

Though he is beautifully dressed, he isn't snobby about it. "I think everyone has their own style — an expression of who you are," he said. "I'm very eclectic. Definitely color is very important.

"Sometimes I'll wear a blazer and some jeans. In session, you're meeting with constituents so you want them to know you're a professional."

He was wearing a three-piece black pinstripe suit by Bob Mackey, a white shirt, a red-patterned tie and black Perry Ellis shoes. It was a version of the politician's uniform, and yet it shone.

"You can't go wrong with an Italian cut," he said.

Ali said he modeled to pay for school. "I always thought it was funny someone would actually pay me to walk down a runway," he said.

His sense of style is strongly influenced by his mother and grandmother, who taught him self-awareness and self-confidence. "They also blessed us with positive energy," he said. "There's no need to judge others."

His relatively new acquaintance, Curtis Johnson, an aide to Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) joined us in the Rayburn Cafeteria.

Unlike many male aides, Johnson walked in wearing a stylish chocolate-brown Ruffini corduroy blazer over a brown mock turtleneck and dark jeans. Johnson's shoes are often Kenneth Cole. "There's a presentation aspect to what we do," he said.

Ali understood instantly: "As young men of color it's important to present ourselves well. Let's keep it real. There are so many stereotypes we have to dispel before we even open our mouths."

Clearly the I-don't-care philosophy does not apply to these young men. While studying at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Johnson was required to take a course in which students were physically inspected. If your hair wasn't trimmed and your suit wasn't pressed, you were kicked out. No excuses.

Ali wondered aloud what it would be like if the late Rep. Adam Clayton Powell (D-N.Y.) or Martin Luther King Jr. returned to Washington and could see them. "We owe it to ourselves [to dress] in a professional manner," he said. "Respect where you are and respect the institution."

Not everyone thinks so deeply about it. Asked whether men on the Hill have decent fashion sense, McCotter stuck with his original point, saying, "I think you have to get past the first hurdle of making sure your clothes don't smell."

There's also still the matter of rumpled lawmakers with soup-stained ties that barely hit their belly buttons.

Therein lies the problem with political men and fashion: They're too busy running the world to pay much attention to their attire.

To joke about clothing comes easier. Last year, a group of GOP lawmakers played a practical joke on Boehner, a self-appointed fashion critic. They wore their worst ties to work just to annoy him. Though it hasn't happened yet, the plan was to have the wife of Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa), one of the pranksters, sew a pillow for Boehner made of all the bad ties.

There are men in the Capitol who are sick of bad taste. Last week a senior aide to a Democratic senator said with all the money some higher-level aides earn, their fashion sense ought to match their bank accounts. He spoke on the condition of anonymity.

"We sadly lack it," he said of fashion sense. "Too many suits are being purchased at big-box stores [rather] than Hugo Boss or Barney's."

He added hopefully, "We're getting better. There are some good tailors and some good clothiers and people should [take advantage]."

What's at the heart of all this thoughtless dressing?

"There is some geekiness going on here," he said. "You don't have to look like a geek to be one. I love policy but I love a good suit, too."

The aide himself likes to mix things up, wearing an off-the-rack suit from Nordstrom's that cost $600– $700 with a preppy tie from J. Crew.

Brian Kaveney, spokesman for Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), said men in the Capitol ought to wear more colors, but then he thought twice. "I'm thinking of the guy who is in the office with no windows studying healthcare," he said. "He doesn't care what he looks like."

Some males are even harsher about what they consider to be the bleak reality of Capitol Hill fashion for men.

"What passes for acceptable sartorial taste is an affront to anyone who has it," said a longtime political reporter who has his suits custom-made. "The influence of cookie-cutter men's clothing chains is pretty self evident. The blue blazer-chinos [ensemble] is pretty sad. It's the prep school look."

One GOP lawmaker who wished to remain nameless said he detests the more casual look worn by lawmakers such as Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.). Nothing against Taylor personally, he said, but "Dockers and a blazer is too casual for what was intended here."

Ironically, this lawmaker confesses that he once showed up to vote on the House floor in khaki shorts and a blazer. It's against the rules of the House, but it was necessary — he had been traveling and was rushing to a vote.

It doesn't open for two more weeks, and it has yet to be screened even in New York or Los Angeles, but a D.C. audience got a first look at "Thank You for Smoking" at a Georgetown screening Saturday night.

Based on the Christopher Buckley novel of the same name, the indie film stars Aaron Eckhart as Nick Naylor, the chief Washington spokesman for Big Tobacco.

"I talk for a living," he proclaims. "You know that guy who always gets the girl? That's me. On crack." Each night, Naylor drinks with the other self-styled "Merchants of Death," lobbyists for the gun and liquor industries, as they compare notes on how best to dupe the public.

The laugh-out-loud satire includes cameos by Dennis Miller, the Capital Grille and this newspaper.

"I thought the movie was a terrific parody," said Dan Berger, senior vice president for the National Association of Federal Credit Unions. "It was really funny."

"Nothing like sitting there for two hours watching my profession take another kick to the groin," he jokingly continued. Former Rep. Dan Glickman (D-Kan.), who now heads the Motion Picture Association of America, was also impressed. "It does ring true," he said, chuckling. "If you're going to make a point, you've got to make a big point."

Undeterred by the film's send-up of his industry, Frank Coleman of the Distilled Spirits Council stayed on message. "Let's go have a cocktail!" he said, beaming.

And so everyone went just up the street to Blue Gin for the VIP after-party hosted by Capitol File, which sports Eckhart on its current cover. There, we caught up with director Jason Reitman, who told us he's not out to vilify any of the industries in the film. "It's about spin," he said.

So does it take a political junkie to make a movie like this? Not exactly.

"Probably like most college kids, I get most of my news from ‘The Daily Show,'" he said.

Likewise for the film's star. When asked how much background research he did on lobbying, Eckhart sarcastically replied, "Years and years," before confessing that he doesn't "know anything about politics."

"I just want my water and my electricity to stay on," he said.

Apparently there are rules to abide by when speaking to Wonkette, aka Ana Marie Cox, who recently came out with her work of political fiction, Dog Days.

In an e-mail, publicist Burke wrote, "I told Ana to skip them [the Jessica Cutler questions] because much of the publicity for Dog Days has focused on the whole Washingtonienne affair, which I think diverts too much attention from the book itself. Riverhead is invested in Ana’s career as a writer, so we clearly think there are more important things to talk about."

Q: How long has the basic story of Dog Days been on your mind? A: The core plot started to percolate in April of 2004 during Jessica Cutler’s tour of duty as a “Newinsky,” when a small group of tinfoil-hat enthusiasts were convinced that I had orchestrated the entire fiasco. I was flattered and humbled by their faith in my PR skills — and inspired to think about why one might engineer a fake sex blog. Once I got more of a taste of Washington campaign culture, other aspects of the story fell into place.

Q: What did you want to be when you were little?
A: Bigger.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: I think I have finished my growth spurt, but another couple of inches would probably make me look thinner.

Q: It has been rumored that you are going to work for The New York Times in some capacity. Is there any truth to that, either in the paper or the website?
A:I’ll get right back to you on that.

Q: [Several minutes and no reply later …] How about telling me about the NYT?
A: I just don’t think I can comment on that, sorry.

Q: Have you always been so snarky?
A:Only since I stopped beating my wife.
( Now that’s a comeback!)

Q: Some reviewers of your book have some awfully harsh things to say about your book — how do you feel about that, and does it hurt your feelings?
A:What feelings?

Q: I would like a serious answer to the question.
A: I don’t think I would describe my reaction to bad reviews as "hurt feelings." That seems like the reaction one has to being called names or having to sit at the "bad" tables at the Palm.
To the extent that a negative review has substantive criticisms, the reaction is much deeper than having "feelings" hurt. I take thoughtful arguments and sincere objections seriously and search in myself and my work for what truth there is to them. That said, many of the negative reviews are so blatantly agenda-driven — they’re attacks on me, the blogosphere, "chick lit" or Washington, not book reviews — it’s hard to take them to heart.

I am the novel’s own worst critic, trust me, and there hasn’t been a review yet that is as hard on my own writing as I can be.

One more thing: If you think I take negative reviews badly, ask my husband: I’m even worse about the positive ones.

Q: What percentage (an estimated guess, of course) of your book is based on reality? Which character do you identify with most?
A: 12.765 percent. I identify the most with the character that is based on me, but she doesn’t appear in the book very much.

Q: If your book gets turned into a movie, which actress would you like to play the lead? Who do you think should play Heather (aka Capitolette?)
A: I’ve been avoiding answering this genre of question for fear I may jinx the project. You can feel free to speculate wildly, however.
(How about Courtney Love, that anorexic chick, Lindsay Lohan, or Drew Barrymore pre-rehab …)

Q: Do you really think the bulk of Washington men are a bunch of losers?
A: Only the bulkier ones.

Q: Were you popular in high school?
A: No.

Q: Did you go to prom?
A:Yes. Sophomore year was most memorable for the sea-green poufy monstrosity that I managed to find growing on the ugly dress tree at J.C. Penney. Junior year, I went with my then-boyfriend, Brendan, driving my father’s 1969 Oldsmobile convertible. Senior year, I went on a double date with friends and wore the only dress that would not hurt my eyes to look at today: a black velvet strapless cocktail dress that my grandmother made copying a picture of Audrey Hepburn (1990, the year I discovered taste).

I would provide more detail beyond costuming, but I honestly don’t remember much else. Somewhere there are pictures from the senior-year event — the four of us sitting on swing sets at the elementary school, drinking wine coolers and mugging for the camera. It looks like we were having fun, and I believe we did.

Q: How did you meet your husband?
A: As with most of these stories, there’s a considerable amount of adorable detail, but I’ll spare you that. Short version: I wrote a piece for him when he was an op-ed editor at Long Island Newsday. We discovered a shared passion for bad movies, and I desperately needed healthcare — it was a perfect match.

Q: Being a former farm girl, do you really find Washington that interesting?
A: I do enjoy the raking of manure.

Q: Would you ever, like your main character Melanie, have an epiphany and sudden disgust with everything Washington and move back to Lincoln?
A: Melanie has a few more motivations beyond "disgust" — she has no job or boyfriend, she’s suffered total humiliation and is broke. I have been fortunate enough to dodge those fates (at least all at once).

Q: Which politician is the easiest target and why?
A: Mocking Bush is pretty much the humor equivalent of the broad side of the barn. He provides the largest target, many mistakes and a perfect grasp of the obvious.

Q: What’s the nastiest piece of hate mail or e-mail that you’ve ever received in relation to your blog?
A: I’m sorry to say that I block the memory of most of those. After a while, it’s just a blur of [expletives] anyway.

Q: Do people recognize you when you go to the grocery store?
A: If they do, they’re keeping it to themselves.

Q: Do you still consider yourself a liberal?
A: Yes, despite their numerous efforts to dislodge me.

http://thehill.com/old-capital-living/wonkette-goiing-to-the-dogs-or-maybe-to-the-nyt-2006-01-31.html