'Homo Politicus' Takes Jab at Washington Political Circles

DANA MILBANK: True enough. Americans assume that there's something of a democracy going on here. In fact, I compare this to the Melanesian big man.

And, in fact, the Melanesian big man gives out gifts to his followers and is able to stay in power by doing that, very much how things happen here.

The lobbyists give money to the politicians in exchange for the favors that the politicians do for the lobbyists. The money allows them to amass substantial war chests, and this allows them to stay in power.

And even if the voters at home aren't quite pleased, they've just got an awful lot of money to run for re-election with.

RAY SUAREZ: One regular refrain with all of these stories of embarrassing events, out-and-out criminal ones, dishonest dealings with the public, there seems to be a very low shame quotient. People don't go away or disappear from the scene even when they've been named in shame.

DANA MILBANK: True enough, and that's because it's tribal. There's the Republican tribe and the Democratic tribe, and people are willing to tolerate just about anything as long as it's a member of their party.

My favorite instance from the book, in the fertility rite section, there's a congressman, a conservative family values Republican named Don Sherwood, who settled a lawsuit for beating his mistress.

And President Bush -- he was in some trouble as a result of this back home in Pennsylvania, but President Bush went to campaign for him in the middle of National Character Counts Week.

And so I thought that sort of typified the culture here. Unfortunately, Mr. Sherwood was not returned to power by the voters, but most of his colleagues are.

One interesting thing is how you come after not only "Homo Politicus," but the ink-stained wretches who have to cover these people, like you and me. Are you going to be invited to all those swell parties anymore?

DANA MILBANK: I have kept PBS journalists off of my radar screen, I want to assure you. Though I...

RAY SUAREZ: There's no index, but, yes, I read the book and...

DANA MILBANK: Yes, in fact, I have written about also the social rituals, in particular the gatekeepers who decide who goes to which party. Journalists will frequently suck up to a particular gatekeeper in exchange for having a party thrown for him. I'm pleased to note that I have, in fact, achieved a book party at the very famous gatekeeper's house.

RAY SUAREZ: So, even when you make fun of them, they still have you over? That's pretty nice.

DANA MILBANK: Well, there's something very special about Washington. And you know the old adage: Just spell my name right. And there's something to be said for that here.

You know, other cities may be about money or about celebrity. Washington is about power. It doesn't necessarily mean whether it's used for good or ill. It doesn't mean whether you're a good person or a bad person, but if you have power. So fame is a vehicle to power. So just spell my name right.

RAY SUAREZ: Well, it's not like you're just folks any more yourself, being on the inside front cover of the Washington Post regularly. Even people that you skewer in this book will still talk to you.

DANA MILBANK: Not all of them, that's to be sure. I had precious few conversations with Tom DeLay, although I did dedicate the book to him for all the good things he's given to my profession over the years. And I've not had many cozy fireside chats with, say, David Vitter or the D.C. madam.

But, yes, everybody in Washington sort of realizes that this is a game that we play -- or I should say they play, because I'm, of course, the pith helmet-wearing anthropologist, not a Potomac man myself.

DANA MILBANK: It almost invariably happens, and it doesn't happen all that gradually. What happens is you get here and say, "Great, I've got to get re-elected now."

So you begin to say, "Well, how can I collect that money? Well, I'm going to collect that money by going to the steakhouse with the lobbyists representing the industries that my committee oversees."

And it's virtually inevitable that somebody will succumb to that, and virtually everybody does at some point.

I think it may be interesting to note that, for example, the president is not really a character in this book. He's sort of a bit player in this, a figurehead, if you will.

The same was true of Danny Hastert, the speaker of the House. They are controlled by the real Potomac men, the Karl Roves that really determine how business is done here.

RAY SUAREZ: And the aforementioned Tom DeLay. You note and give some support for the idea that having a big title and even a big job with a big staff doesn't mean you're necessarily a big man.

DANA MILBANK: No, that's absolutely true. The big man, in fact, is not the politician, in the example of the Melanesian tribesmen. I'm talking about the lobbyist being the big man in the progression of Washington.

You come in as a new lawmaker. You work your way up to committee chairman or leadership. And then, at the very pinnacle of your power, you become a lobbyist.

And those are the men who are able to have the most power here, because they are the ones who toss the checks around and the medium-rare steaks.

RAY SUAREZ: "Homo Politicus," Dana Milbank, thanks for joining us.

DANA MILBANK: Thank you, Ray.