Inside the Beltway

“The Constitution protects free speech, not equal speech,” he educates. “Congress is to make no law abridging the freedom of speech whether we like the speech or not. It’s simple, speech is to be free, not fair. Fair is too subjective a word. Our grandfathers guaranteed us free speech, not fair speech, and there is a big difference.”

Fading pink

At yesterday’s Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Islamic extremism in Europe, a dozen anti-war Code Pink activists were in attendance.

When the hearing broke for a Senate floor vote, the leader of the group signaled for the others to begin shouting in unison: “Senator Collins, stop funding the war.” Meanwhile, two of the activists frantically searched through their congressional directory, trying to figure out what state the senator represented. One announced, “M.E.,” at which point the other said brightly, “That stands for Maine.”

By the end of the hearing, the group leader once again motioned to her comrades, and immediately they began shouting: “Senator Lieberman, stop funding the war.”

At which point a woman sitting beside the protesters stood up to leave, but on her way out she issued this oral warning to one of the protesters: “If the jihadis win, you’ll be wearing a burqa and it won’t be pink.”

Local Elvis

Yes, that’s Lisa De Pasquale, director of the annual CPAC conference, lined up to be one of three judges for this weekend’s Washington-area Elvis Presley contest.

“Since it’s the thirtieth anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, Elvis Presley Enterprises is sponsoring tribute artist contests all over the country,” explains Miss De Pasquale, who was born in 1977, the same year Elvis died (or is he still alive?).

“Some of the contestants are pretty famous in tribute artist circles,” she says of the 22 featured Washington-area Elvis impersonators, including “a doctor that does the Elvis thing on the side.”

The all-day Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest begins at noon tomorrow at Prince George’s County Stadium in Bowie. After the initial round of competition, there will be a 6 p.m. Elvis look-alike contest, with the Elvis finalists set to perform again at 7 p.m. At 8 p.m. there is an Elvis tribute show, and the overall Elvis winner will be crowned at 10 p.m.

And dare we forget to mention that Ian Walters, son of Washington Times political writer Ralph Z. Hallow, is in the backup band that will perform with all of the contestants.

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