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Chairman Donatelli on CNN's "Situation Room"
March 26, 2009
 Wolf Blitzer:
Joining us, our political contributor Donna Brazile and Frank Dontelli, Chairman of GOPAC. Frank also used to work at the RNC as well. Thanks very much for coming in.
Donna and Frank:
Thank you.
Wolf Blitzer:
What do you make of this effort by Congressman Daryl Issa of California, Republican, for more transparency on the policy issues related to the First Lady of the United States. Why is he doing this now, simply because there's a democratic first lady?
Donna Brazile:
It's been 16 years since we've seen a First Lady in the case of Michelle Obama take on such a public and visible role, but I think his amendment would have overturned a 1993 ruling during the Clinton years where they said that the First Lady did have the right to privacy. I think that he was trying to get at transparency, but some of the democratic members reminded him, Michelle Obama is a very visible, prominent First Lady and nothing she is doing that is not transparent.
Frank Donatelli:
I think the -- we've been a little disappointed thus far with the administration's commitment to transparency. The President talked a lot about it during the campaign, but when it came time to write the stimulus bill, for example, Republicans didn't even get to see it until they had to vote on it. That being said, I hope we can agree that generally speaking, family members of the President should be off limits.
Wolf Blitzer:
Because the argument, as you know, is a new set of rules, Congressman Daryl Issa says should be used involving Michelle Obama as opposed to, for example, Mrs. bush.
Frank Donatelli:
Right. I was going to say is, the one exception to noninvolvement of presidential family would be, if they play an active policy role. Of course we remember all those years ago with Mrs. Clinton, when she was the First Lady, not only was running the health care policy of the United States, was doing it in secret. We have to be concerned about that, but I think, you know, the larger issue is transparency.
Wolf Blitzer:
All right, there's nothing wrong with transparency, right?
Donna Brazile:
This is a First Lady we see in her garden clothes and wonderful dresses. I think she's transparent and effective.
Wolf Blitzer:
Let's make the shift to Britney Spears. Wow. Strategy session we're talking about Britney Spears, she's a singer, a lot of us like Britney Spears. She was performing the other night here in Washington, D.C., over at the Verizon Center. The number two Republican in the House of Representatives, Eric Cantor of Virginia, he made a decision that night, before we get to the little exchange with Dana bash explaining his decision, let's play a little sound to remind our viewers about Britney's tour.
(Plays video of Britney)
Here is the decision that he made, Eric Cantor, to go to the verizon center to see the concert, as opposed to watching the President's prime time news conference. Here is the explanation he offered Dana Bash.
(Plays video of Dana Bash’s interview with Eric Cantor)
All right. Do you think that's going to cause -- the political event there was the Truckers Association, they had a box over there and he was invited so he went, raising money for his PAC.
Frank Donatelli:
Any congressman that fundraises through a Britney Spears concert, really wants to get back into the majority, I think. he -- he said that he then taped the press conference and watched it and then was doing another rival network show the next morning so he had a chance to do both. I get invited to these things, whether it's a concert or basketball game or hockey game, politicians are fundraising all the time.
Wolf Blitzer:
You can always tivo the presidential news conference you can't tivo Britney.
Donna Brazile:
Look, she's a Louisianean so I'm not going to comment on her. Frank mentioned that we haven't -- the Republicans didn't get a chance to read the stimulus. That's one reason why, they're too busy focusing on the trivial and not the substance and maybe we should put away Britney and other celebrities and focus on the substance. Then maybe we can solve our bipartisan problem.
Frank Donatelli:
I'm with you on that, Donna. We focus on substance a lot. It’s good to have a diversion once in a while.
Wolf Blitzer:
A good friend of mine, his 18-year-old daughter was at the concert with some of her friends and they thoroughly enjoyed it.
Donna Brazile:
She has more rhythm now, I'm sure President Obama will like that.
Wolf Blitzer:
I think his status went up.
Frank Donatelli:
One of our youngest and hippest Republicans.
Wolf Blitzer:
He has musical tastes. Thank you both very much.
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