Graham for president?

He says maybe, in 2016

Senator from S.C.

appeared in New Hampshire last fall Lindsey Graham for president?

The New York Times last week ran a mug shot of the Republican senator from Seneca, S.C., with a chart illustrating "The Potentials" -- old and new GOP stars pegged as possible 2008 contenders.

Graham, 49, has also done what all White House wannabes do: Trekked to New Hampshire, site every four years of the first presidential primary. He was there last fall, campaigning for GOP state Sen. Peter Bragdon. The scuttlebutt among politicos in The Granite State is that Graham was testing the waters for 2008, but would only run if Sen. John McCain doesn't.

In 2000, Graham endorsed the Arizona senator over then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, and would likely back McCain, now 68, if he decides to try again.

What does Graham have to say about all this? Is the folksy freshman senator thinking about jumping into what will surely be a crowded GOP field in 2008?

"Oh God, no. No. No!" he said after holding a get-tough-with-China-on-trade news conference in the Senate TV Gallery last week. "I'm very happy being the new senior senator from South Carolina. Call me in 2016. You'll have a story. In 2016, I may run."

Burr to lead panel on bioterrorism

First-term Sen. Richard Burr has landed the chairmanship of a new Senate panel that could play a leading role in the debate over homeland security.The Republican from Winston-Salem will wield the gavel on Bioterrorism Preparedness and Public Health -- a subcommittee of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

The ranking Democrat on the subcommittee: Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.

During his time in the House, Burr took the lead on a bill that encouraged more first-responders to get inoculated for smallpox by establishing compensation for those injured by the vaccine.

On Tuesday, Burr will hold the Senate subcommittee's first hearing. It will focus on efforts to develop effective drugs and vaccines to protect against attacks from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons. But reports that President Bush's proposed budget will seek to cut public health programs -- including some that would protect against bioterror -- could also come up.

In a statement about getting the chairmanship, Burr pointed to preparedness work done at the Piedmont-Triad Research Park and the Research Triangle Park as "examples the entire nation can learn from."

Pay back from Edwards, DeMint?

The National Taxpayers Union is charging that former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and new Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina flouted an obscure federal statute calling for absentee members of Congress to forfeit part of their pay.

According to the law, which is rarely if ever enforced, members of Congress can't skip work unless they or a family member is ill -- the only excuse that usually works for regular people in regular jobs.

The Virginia-based NTU says Democrat Edwards missed 102 days on the job between January 2003 and October 2004 -- months when he was running for president, then vice president. NTU calculates that Edwards, who already looks to be running for president again, should give back $63,543.16 in salary because of the absences.

Republican DeMint, a House member in 2003 and 2004, had 37 unexcused absences as he pursued the Senate seat in a hot GOP primary and then in a hot general election contest. The NTU says his salary overpayment totals $23,305.56.

Spokesmen for Edwards and DeMint had no comment.

The NTU sent letters to a total of 25 members and former members of Congress, asking them to explain how they intended to comply with the little-known law.

And what about President Bush's frequent absences from the White House during last fall's campaign? Shouldn't he have to fork over some of his presidential greenback, too?

Apparently not. According to the NTU, which has looked it up, "federal law does not require presidents to forfeit their pay while seeking re-election."

Hayes unhappy with answer on armor

Rep. Robin Hayes finally heard back from the Pentagon.Sort of.

Last December, the Concord Republican -- a key member of the House Armed Services Committee -- sent a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. In it, he shared his frustration about reports of soldiers in Iraq not having adequate equipment to protect themselves. Hayes also asked for an answer to his request -- made in December 2003 -- that four armored gun systems be released to the Fort Bragg-based 82nd Airborne. Instead of sending them over to Iraq, the Pentagon was warehousing the gun systems in Pennsylvania.

Hayes got no reply from the Pentagon chief.

So when Rumsfeld attended a recent closed-door meeting of House Armed Services, Hayes asked why he had not heard back.

That afternoon, a letter from Lt. Gen. David Melcher, Army deputy chief of staff, was hand-delivered to Hayes' office.

It said that the gun systems in Pennsylvania weren't needed and were obsolete anyway. Instead, the Mobile Gun System was the way to go -- once it's ready in 2006.

Hayes wasn't satisfied. He called back and asked for "a more substantial answer," according to Hayes spokeswoman Carolyn Hern.

Stay tuned.

Coming Up

Today: The Bush administration offers its proposed budget for fiscal year 2006.

Today: President Bush will pose for photos in the Oval office with Kurt Busch, NASCAR's 2004 Nextel Cup Champion. Busch lives in Charlotte.

Feb. 15: Democratic Rep. Mel Watt of Charlotte -- new chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus -- gives the keynote address for the Library of Congress' 2005 celebration of Black History Month.

Tim

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