Inside Politics

Perry vs. Romney

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, has written a book about the Boy Scouts, and he includes a less-than-flattering story about Mitt Romney, suggesting that the Republican presidential hopeful bowed to the homosexual rights lobby during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Here is a portion of what Mr. Perry had to say about Mr. Romney in the new book, “On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For,” due out in February from Stroud & Hall Publishers:

“The ACLU’s ’fingerprints’ aren’t on every effort to deny the Boy Scouts access to public facilities and events, though chances are they cheer when kindred groups initiate such efforts. Take the case of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. In the planning stages, when it was faltering financially, Mitt Romney stepped in as president and chief executive officer. He soon straightened things out and set plans in motion to make it a success.

“In 2000 he put out a published call for volunteers … The Great Salt Lake Council of the BSA, the largest in the nation, with some 80,000 Scouts and 35,000 adult leaders, answered Romney’s call for volunteers.”

“Some time that fall, however, the Scouts were advised that they were no longer welcome to participate. Chief Scout Executive for the Council, Marty Latimer said, ’We don’t understand what’s wrong. They just don’t want us and won’t talk to us.’ He said that Romney had not returned calls from several Scout executives seeking an explanation. The Council’s President R. Lawry Hunsaker expressed surprise that Romney had ignored Scout leaders for he had once been a Scout and a Scout leader himself. ’We can’t get him to return our calls.’ ”

Ready to rumble

A Chuck-Sly smackdown?

Mike Huckabee was asked last night at the Republican presidential debate about martial-arts action star Chuck Norris, who has endorsed and campaigned with Mr. Huckabee and said that rival Sen. John McCain of Arizona, 71, is too old to be president.

Mr. Huckabee said he disagreed with the tough-guy actor, and Mr. McCain responded by pointing to his own Hollywood muscle.

“Now that Sylvester Stallone has endorsed me, I’m sending him over to take care of Chuck Norris right away,” the former Vietnam War POW said.

But Vince McMahon and Don King won’t be getting into any bidding wars for the Huck-Chuck rumble.

Mr. Norris “is a guy who can put this foot on that side of my face,” Mr. Huckabee said. “I didn’t disagree with him at the time [of the McCain-age comment], because I was standing next to him.”

Age “is not an issue for me. It might be for Chuck, but,” Mr. Huckabee said carefully, “I’m far enough away from him that I feel comfortable in saying that now.”

Kucinich bows out

Democrat Dennis J. Kucinich is abandoning his second long-shot bid for the White House as he faces a tough fight to hold onto his other job title: U.S. congressman.

In an interview yesterday with Cleveland’s Plain Dealer, the six-term House member from Ohio said he was quitting the race and would make a formal announcement today.

“I will be announcing that I’m transiting out of the presidential campaign,” Mr. Kucinich said. “I’m making that announcement tomorrow about a new direction.”

Mr. Kucinich has received little support in his presidential bid; he got 1 percent of the vote in the New Hampshire primary and was shut out in the Iowa caucuses. He did have a devoted following.

Mr. Kucinich, 61, is facing four challengers in the Democratic congressional primary March 4, and earlier this week he made an urgent appeal on his Web site for funds for his re-election.

Imagine that

The National Education Association yesterday released a new national poll that found voters support teaching imagination rather than just the basics — and for increased funding to do so.

The poll — commissioned by the NEA and the Arts Education Partnership — surveyed 1,100 likely voters nationwide and found 89 percent think imagination and innovation are important to success in today’s global, knowledge-based economy; 69 percent think America devotes less attention to developing these traits than other nations; and 63 percent think that building capacity for imagination and innovation is just as important as teaching the basics in the classroom.

When it comes to the voting booth, the survey found 57 percent would be more likely to vote for a candidate who called for more funding to build up these traits in public school students.

Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, which conducted the poll, said there’s a certain voting population — dubbed the “imagine nation” — who strongly think today’s educational approaches are outdated, desire more imagination in education and are going to take action, both in their local schools and the voting booth. Among these voters, 72 percent would be likely to vote for a candidate who called for more funding for these efforts.

The NEA — a staunch critic of the No Child Left Behind law, which requires states to test students in reading and math — used the poll’s findings to criticize the law.

“This poll confirms voters — many of them being parents — understand two key problems with current education policy under the No Child Left Behind Act,” said John Wilson, NEA executive director. “There”s too much attention paid to standardized testing and not enough to the arts and helping our children develop 21st century skills.”

Hillary outsources

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign has turned to a German company to produce teddy bears wearing shirts that say “Hillary for President.”

In an interview published on the German Web site FR-online, German textile manufacturer Norbert Metzen said he pitched the teddy bear idea to Mrs. Clinton’s husband, Bill, during a dinner they both attended about a year ago.

He said he will fly to the United States in March to receive a thank you from Mrs. Clinton and have his picture taken with her.

Mr. Metzen, whose manufacturing plant is located in Bavaria, said he would be pleased to produce teddy bears for the Republicans, if they should ask.

• Greg Pierce can be reached at 202/636-3285 or gpierce@washingtontimes.com.