Inside the Beltway

Moore fallout

Outrage from across the country after Inside the Beltway wrote this week about the family of U.S. Air Force Maj. Gregory Stone being shocked to learn video footage of the major's Arlington National Cemetery burial was included by Michael Moore in his movie "Fahrenheit 9/11."

The mother of the major labeled Mr. Moore a "maggot that eats off the dead."

"I think the Stone family ... should sue," says retired Army veteranG.M. Frisoli.

"If the family wishes to seek a suit against Michael Moore ... I will donate $100 toward legal fees and will solicit my friends to do the same," promises Manny Gagliardi of Arlington, Texas.

"Mountain States Legal Foundation was founded in 1977 by the late Joe Coors," writes William Perry Pendley, foundation president and chief legal officer, of Lakewood, Colo. "It has litigated many cases, including many against President Clinton's abuses. Could you forward MSLF's information to the family of the Air Force officer whose burial was used without permission by Michael Moore?"

Rowdy crowd

The official White House pool report of President Bush's motorcade Wednesday evening in Wisconsin reveals Sen. John Kerry's supporters aren't such a peaceful bunch.

"Several blocks from the evening rally at the Resch Center, [Mr. Bush's bus] passed several hundred, very vocal Kerry supporters and others protesting the president's visit," the report states. "Someone in the roadside crowd threw an empty plastic bottle at the president's bus, bouncing it off the right [passenger's] side.

"The president had been down front, waving from the window ... but had retreated to the back of the bus before the bottle headed his way."

Erasing Edwards

Whatever her reason, it's a smart thing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton removed from her taxpayer-paid Senate Web site her glowing statement surrounding the selection of Sen.John Edwards as Sen. John Kerry'srunning mate.

"I am excited by John Kerry's selection of Senator John Edwards as his running mate," Mrs. Clinton stated. "Democrats and independent-minded Americans have reason to be electrified about the Kerry-Edwards team."

Now no one can find Mrs. Clinton's remarks, perhaps because she was subsequently shunned by the Kerry-Edwards ticket from having a major role at next week's Democratic National Convention in Boston.

Whatever the reason, the law prohibits posting political statements on official government Web sites.

And introducing...

Sen. John Kerry has asked Hillary Rodham Clinton to introduce her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at the Democratic National Convention, giving her a speaking role that Democrats had sought for the New York senator, the Associated Press reports.

The Kerry campaign released the names of its first set of speakers for the convention early this week, including former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, Al Gore and others, but the absence of the former first lady drew criticism from Democrats, particularly women.

The senator herself said she was not disappointed, but a lobbying effort quickly got under way on her behalf.

Mr. Kerry, who was campaigning in Pennsylvania, called Mrs. Clinton and asked her to introduce her husband. She agreed to the request.

Alien terror

The White House cracked down on a popular pair of Los Angeles radio hosts who grew irritated with Homeland Security UndersecretaryAsa Hutchison for not cracking down on illegal aliens who've flooded southern California.

"John and Ken," heard over radio station KFI, initially applauded U.S. Border Patrol sweeps in and around Los Angeles that rounded up more than 400 of the estimated 2 million illegal immigrants who cost California taxpayers billions of dollars.

But after Mr. Hutchison recently scaled down the sweep -- posting the agents closer to the Mexican border -- the radio pair broadcasted and posted his telephone number in Washington, causing the White House phone system to be jammed by thousands of calls.

The White House has now contacted the duo and demanded they cease and desist such antics.

• John McCaslin, whose column is nationally syndicated, can be reached at 202/636-3284 or jmccaslin@washingtontimes.com.