Shook the Spot

I told Congresswoman Pelosi that I looked forward to working with her and her colleagues to find common ground in the next two years. As the majority party in the House of Representatives, they recognize that in their new role they now have greater responsibilities. And in my first act of bipartisan outreach since the election, I shared with her the names of some Republican interior decorators who can help her pick out the new drapes in her new offices. —President Bush at his press conference today

Maybe he could find Pelosi a Republican hairdresser as well? Turns out, however, that gay-baiting stereotypes aside, there are actually a few — surely just a few — interior decortors out there who hail from the right wing . . .

GAY HART GAINES — Yeah, that's her motherfucking name, and she's vice chair of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; a trustee of the Palm Beach County Republican Party; president of the Palm Beach Republican Club; and a member of the Heritage Foundation. Ms. Gaines is also, surprisingly enough, "an interior decorator by training," according to the Washington Post, which knows these things.




CINDY WATSON — She's a former Republican state representative from North Carolina who won a Profile in Courage award in 2004 for having, in the words of Ted Kennedy, "the political courage to stand up to the powerful hog farming industry." When she sought reelection, Ms. Watson was defeated by, of course, a hog farmer. In a Republican primary, that's probably a better credential than interior decorator.



GAIL NORTON — Before stepping down this March, she was the president's secretary of the interior, which has nothing to do with drapes. But when Ms. Norton met Jessica Simpson, the popstar famously said, "You've done a nice job decorating the White House." So, uh, close enough.