On Links As In Life, D.C. Bipartisan Relations Are Deep In The Rough

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Hill staffers and PGA professionals mingle Wednesday at this year's National Golf Day event on Capitol Hill, which included an annual Democrats versus Republicans putting challenge. Emily Jan/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Emily Jan/NPR

Hill staffers and PGA professionals mingle Wednesday at this year's National Golf Day event on Capitol Hill, which included an annual Democrats versus Republicans putting challenge.

Emily Jan/NPR

Earlier this week, members of Congress and their staffs were greeted by a makeshift golf expo set up on the Rayburn House Office Building.

The event included golf shot simulators, certified golf instructors and a putting challenge between Democrats and Republicans. It was all part of National Golf Day, an annual event organized by the industry that promotes the economic and health benefits of the sport.

American politicians have had an affinity with golf dating back at least as far as William Howard Taft, the first-known president to hit the links. Since then, Democrats and Republicans alike have enjoyed game. But as hyperpartisan politics have become more commonplace in Washington, bipartisan golf outings have disappeared like a shanked tee shot into a water hazard

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South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn talks with PGA professional Bob Dolan Jr. at the National Golf Day event on Capitol Hill. Clyburn is an avid golfer, and the Democrat says that earlier on in his career, he learned a lot about bipartisanship on the golf course. Emily Jan/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Emily Jan/NPR

South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn talks with PGA professional Bob Dolan Jr. at the National Golf Day event on Capitol Hill. Clyburn is an avid golfer, and the Democrat says that earlier on in his career, he learned a lot about bipartisanship on the golf course.

Emily Jan/NPR

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the third ranking Democrat in House leadership, said that when he first came to Washington in the early 1990s, golf was something political rivals did together regularly.

"I really learned bipartisanship up here on the golf course, and it allowed me to develop relationships across the aisle. And sometimes I'd be the only Democrat there — often the only African-American — but it taught me a lot. And I hope the experience taught some of them a lot," he said.

Clyburn, who took part in the event's putting challenge, admits that as years have passed, golf has stopped being used to chip away at bipartisan divides.

One needs to look no further than the closely watched relationship between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner. Shortly after Republicans regained control of the House following the 2010 midterm elections, many wondered if the two would get together for a round of golf to iron out their differences.

It finally happened in June 2011. According to reports at the time, it was a cordial outing — Boehner clapped when the President sank a putt, and Obama put his hand on Boehner's shoulder as they were exiting a green.

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President Obama points to Vice President Biden's putt as they and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, golf at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., in June 2011. Charles Dharapak/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Charles Dharapak/AP

President Obama points to Vice President Biden's putt as they and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, golf at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., in June 2011.

Charles Dharapak/AP

But a month after that golf outing, the negotiations between the two on raising the nation's debt ceiling collapsed.

Sweetness And Light

Golf May Be Too Polite A Sport For Presidential Politics

Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, is an avid golfer, and still has a lot of power in his swing for an 81-year-old. Like Clyburn, he believes the decline in across-the-aisle golf outings has led to missed opportunities.

"It's still one of the best ways to communicate with one another and solve a problem — on the golf course," Young said.

Young admits there are still some bipartisan outings, but far fewer than there used to be. He said one reason is that members don't stick around Washington on weekends, when Congress isn't in session.

Former Republican Rep. Michael Oxley, who represented Ohio's 4th Congressional District for a quarter-century, said he played golf with many Democrats before his retirement in 2007, including former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill.

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A staffer participates in the annual Democrats vs. Republicans putting challenge. Emily Jan/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Emily Jan/NPR

A staffer participates in the annual Democrats vs. Republicans putting challenge.

Emily Jan/NPR

"When I ran for Congress, of course, Tip was the boogeyman among Republicans," Oxley said.

Oxley said the two golfed together and hit it off. He even remembers O'Neill's odd device at the handle end of his putter — a suction cup, so O'Neill didn't have to bend down to pick his ball up out of the hole. He admits there wasn't a whole lot of good golf played, but says it wasn't about that — it was about laying the groundwork for a good working relationship.

"I can't remember one time when I've cut a deal specifically on a specific piece of legislation on the golf course, because it's just generally frowned upon," Oxley said. "But the prearranged relationship that you've developed over time on a golf course gives you that avenue to make deals at a later date."

Any chance current members of Congress can learn something from their predecessors?

Rep. Clyburn will golf in Hilton Head, S.C., this weekend, and his trip suggests the lack of links bipartisanship will persist a bit longer: The list of House colleagues who will join him is all Democrats.

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Eric Werwa, left, Deputy Chief of Staff for Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., gets some tips on his swing from a PGA professional at the National Golf Day event on Capitol Hill. Emily Jan/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Emily Jan/NPR

Eric Werwa, left, Deputy Chief of Staff for Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., gets some tips on his swing from a PGA professional at the National Golf Day event on Capitol Hill.

Emily Jan/NPR

A Ticking Clock Threatens Obama's Immigration Plan

A federal appeals court in New Orleans heard oral arguments in a case that could determine the viability of President Obama's plan to temporarily shield more than four million undocumented immigrants from deportation and issue them work permits.

At stake is whether the president will get to implement his plan before his term expires.

In a rare hearing before a three-judge panel of the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, government lawyers asked the judges to issue an emergency stay of the February ruling by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen. Such requests are usually confined to written briefs. Each side was allotted an hour to argue—twice as much as is generally heard in a Supreme Court case.

Hanen, based in Texas, had ruled the president had overstepped his authority and violated the law governing administrative procedures in announcing his executive action on immigration back in November. Judge Hanen also said that the state of Texas would incur costs associated with issuing driver's licenses to immigrants who gained legal status.

Texas is leading a 26 state coalition suing to challenge the president's executive action.

Arguing for the Justice Department, Benjamin Mizer, said Texas had no standing because immigration policy is set by the federal government.

"If Texas is right, it could challenge an individual's right to seek asylum," Mizer said. "The states do not have standing in the downstream effects of a federal immigration policy."

But Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller argued that his state does have a stake in immigration policy. In a statement issued after the more than two hour hearing, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said:

"President Obama's executive amnesty program would grant legal status to individuals who are unlawfully in this country, making them eligible for benefits under federal and state programs. These benefits include work permits, tax credits, Social Security, Medicare, driver's licenses, unemployment insurance and the right to international travel."

Attorneys for both sides were frequently questioned by two of three panelists. Judge Jennifer Elrod, a George W. Bush appointee, appeared skeptical of the administration's defense of the President's executive action. Similarly, Obama appointee Judge Stephen Higginson appeared more open to the government's arguments.

A third judge, Jerry Smith, a Reagan appointee, was mostly silent throughout the hearing, according to MarieElena Hincapie, Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center, who attended the hearing. Her group supports Obama's executive action.

The sounds of several hundred immigration activists protesting outside could be heard from inside the courtroom.

Going into this hearing, many court watchers had noted that the administration could face a tough time since the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considered the most conservative appellate court in the country.

The judges did not rule. A decision is not generally expected for another few weeks.

The hearing is only one act in the legal drama over the president's immigration plan. If the panel rules against the president, his administration could request an en banc hearing or take an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Hanen is still scheduled to hold a trial on the constitutionality of Obama's executive action. The administration would certainly appeal an adverse ruling from a judge who has already thrown one roadblock in front of the president's plan.

Ultimately, time may not be on President Obama's side, says Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond.

"All of this legal jousting will probably consume many months and may well run out the clock, as the Obama Administration draws to a close," said Tobias.

President Obama Welcomes Italian Prime Minister Renzi to the White House

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy participate in a press conference in the East Room of the White House, April 17, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Earlier today, President Obama hosted Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at the White House for a bilateral meeting and a working lunch.

At the press conference between the two events, President Obama praised Prime Minister Renzi's energy and vision as well as his "willingness to challenge the status quo and to look to the future," noting that these qualities have made the Prime Minister a leading voice in Europe.

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Police storm Roumieh block to quell riot

BEIRUT: Anti-riot police stormed a block in Lebanon’s largest prison Friday evening in a bid to end a riot by Islamist inmates who took several guards hostage to protest the prison’s strict regulations, a security source told The Daily Star.

After surrounding all entrances to Block D of Roumieh prison and issuing a warning to the prisoners, police units stormed the prison once negotiations hit a dead end. The operation continued till late Friday.

The riots began during the evening meal, after which inmates are usually confined to their cells for the night.

A number of prisoners in the newly rehabilitated Block D set their mattresses on fire, and a blaze spread throughout the second floor, prompting Civil Defense teams to intervene.

The inmates then escalated their riot by blocking all entrances and taking the guards hostage, the source said.

The riots come in response to the stricter regulations that the prison authorities have adopted to prevent the smuggling of drugs and weapons to inmates.

Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk posted on his Twitter account that “the situation is under control and Roumieh prison will not return to its past chaos, whatever the price.”

The security source said the prisoners responsible for the riots were mostly Islamists who had been incarcerated in Roumieh’s notorious Block B building, which was emptied and shut down after a large-scale police operation in January.

Inmates had enjoyed relative autonomy in Block B and prevented security forces from entering.

After the clearing operation took place, television footage showed that prisoners had no cell doors and operated a barber shop and a coffee shop in Block B.

Footage also showed inmates on Block B had a large amount of electronic equipment, including TV sets and mobile phones.

Some of the prisoners are members of Islamist fundamentalist groups and had also been imposing Shariah law inside Block B, reports said.

Roumieh prison has been the scene of repetitive riots in past years, with inmates protesting crowded cells and slow trials.

The largest riot occurred in April 2011, when inmates set their beds on fire and broke down cell doors, in protest over subpar living conditions.

In memory of Basil Fuleihan,10 years on

Ten years after my beloved brother Basil’s passing I can still remember that morning in the U.S., when amid the business of the morning rush to work and school on Feb. 14, 2005, we heard the NPR news mention a big explosion in Beirut. It was already afternoon in Beirut. The report was vague but ominous. The phone call that followed corroborated my worst fears. Basil survived the blast that took the life of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and many others, however, after a valiant struggle and the best efforts of the medical community, my brother succumbed to his injuries on April 18 that year.

Basil and I grew up in Beirut in a small nuclear family surrounded by many cousins, second cousins and friends with whom we still share dear memories of that idyllic childhood and the games we played during our summers in the mountains and at the beach. With time, our friendship grew stronger and continued on, growing across continents in spite of the Civil War that forced us to live in distant places. Basil never waivered to play his role as brother and uncle to my three daughters by keeping in touch and visiting as much as possible. When he and Yasma became parents to two beautiful children, I could feel his deep pride and love for his own family.

From an early age, Basil had strong opinions and the confidence to express and defend them. His sharp mind thrived, encouraged by our parents, who had a profound respect for our thinking and points of view. His devotion to Lebanon was clear from a very early age when, barely 7, he made the case for the necessity of our family returning to Lebanon after my father was offered the opportunity to continue his medical career in the United States. Such was Basil’s love for his country. It brought my father back to Lebanon, where we continued our schooling and later steered Basil toward his career choice.

Throughout his short life, Basil distinguished himself with his strong sense of fairness and justice and an ability to bring people together. He loved life and laughter and never missed an opportunity to tease. He loved his friends and family, who all respected him and loved him back. Mostly he believed in fairness for all regardless of their religion, gender or race. He had a skill to solve problems in order to achieve harmony and happiness among a group of people, be it family, friends or co-workers. His sense of humor and optimism put people at ease and paved the way to surmount obstacles. This undoubtedly helped his career in government where he worked to make a difference in people’s lives and help in the economic recovery of Lebanon.

Even though Basil was my younger brother, I looked up to him, literally, for he always made sure to point out the two extra inches that nature gave him over me and figuratively, as he approached life with optimism, humor, courage, love and passion. His loss has left a huge gap among his family, friends and colleagues. I am comforted seeing his personality and intellect expressed in his beautiful children, Rayna and Rayan.

“Dear Basil, although your life was cut short by a ruthless and criminal act, you demonstrated all the qualities of true leadership and achieved more than many of us can dream of. You have touched and enriched our lives and your example will continue to inspire us and give us strength. We miss you dearly; your smile will not fade from our memory; your light shines brightly in your beautiful children, Rayna and Rayan and in all our hearts.”

Your Loving Brother Ramsay

Dr. Ramsay Fuleihan is a professor in pediatrics-allergy and immunology living in Chicago, United States.

Yasma Fuleihan struggles on without her husband Basil

BEIRUT: Yasma Fuleihan has been interrupted by a phone call from a well-known U.N. official. She greets the voice on the other end of the receiver with a lightheartedness honed over the last 10 years and lists her engagements matter-of-factly – ambassadors, dinner, family, the children. As she listens, Yasma’s eyebrows rise and fall. “You know how Basil is,” she says, using the present tense to describe her deceased husband.

The widow of Basil Fuleihan, the former economy minister who died from wounds sustained in a bomb that killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others on Feb. 14, 2005, has maintained a low profile in Geneva since his death. She returns to Lebanon periodically on April 18 to commemorate Basil’s death publicly. Privately, that fateful day remains a vivid fixture in her mind – when she retells it, her body seems to relive it.

After Yasma had dropped the kids, now 15 and 13, to school, Basil called from Beirut to wish her a happy Valentine’s Day. Despite having the option of flying directly to Beirut from Geneva Feb. 15, Basil chose to take the route via Paris two days earlier so he could get to the Lebanese capital in time for the parliamentary session Feb. 14, the day Hariri’s motorcade was attacked. When Basil said goodbye, he said he would call her back once he left Parliament.

Yasma was shopping when her mother called and asked frantically whether Basil was with her. She said he was in Beirut and her mother fell silent. She described the following hours as like “being in a tsunami.” Immediately Yasma called her husband’s mobile and got an out of service signal. Terrified of what awaited her at home, she went to a friend’s house. The calls poured in, the panic of uncertainty set, plane tickets were purchased and two months beside her dying husband’s side in a hospital in Paris went by. Ten years later, Yasma says her sense of reality, as she once knew it, is irretrievable and altered.

“It’s a struggle, because you have to be strong for the children. It’s not easy, sometimes I fall,” she says.

“And then I dream of Basil, like he came back and feel,” she searches for the words, “like a release, and the dream feels so real.

“Then I wake up and realize. But I feel stronger somehow.”

The couple had grown up in houses facing each other in Beirut but didn’t meet until they were young adults in Washington D.C., where Yasma was attending university and Basil was working with the International Monetary Fund. After a six-year engagement, they were married.

“Life is irony,” Yasma says, recalling how months before his death Basil had marveled at how the seating area in Hariri’s new private plane could be converted to an intensive care unit. The plane would eventually transport Basil’s burned body out of Lebanon to France.

The children bear a striking resemblance to their father, and like him have excelled in math and science. Both are adept young musicians, playing piano and violin at a conservatory while completing high school studies in a rigorous Swiss program. The siblings have expressed interest in pursuing engineering as a career, but Yasma is reluctant to carve out a definite path for their futures.

“The children, they know what they want,” she says, adding philosophically, “No matter what we think, we don’t realize that we humans are fragile.”

Her daughter Rayna wants to pursue studies at the Ecole Polytechnique in Lausanne. Yasma says the precocious young teen already has preferences about which one of her girlfriends she wants to dorm with.

To deal with their father’s passing, Yasma had the children write poems about their feelings. “We talk about everything, I tell them everything,” she says. When they were younger, they drew pictures for him which their mother would dutifully hang on the trees surrounding his grave. They learned the details about his death as they got older. Initially Yasma told her children their father had died because “God had an economic issue,” she says.

“I’ve had to become not just their mother, but their father and also friend,” she says. “But even with that, no one can replace a father.”

Her son Rayan complains that he is “always surrounded by women” in the house. When the kids asked if they could have another sibling, Yasma got them a pet dog. “Each one deals with it differently – my daughter because she is the oldest asks more questions, her brother listens.”

In her efforts to keep the memory of their father alive – Rayna’s WhatsApp profile picture is of her with Basil on the last ski trip they took together a week before his death – Yasma cautions them not to harbor hatred for those responsible for his murder. “The criminal, once they kill someone, they kill everyone [who loved that person]. If you fall into that trap, you will want revenge and it becomes a never-ending cycle,” she says. “It would destroy everything.”

Taking over full responsibilities for the household and rearing the children sometimes can almost prove too much for Yasma. “It’s hard when a part of you is missing,” she says. “At every event, when they graduate from school, we think about how Basil isn’t here.”

Week In Politics: Trans-Pacific Partnership, 2016 Presidential Candidates

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

NPR's Robert Siegel speaks with political commentators E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post and Brookings Institution and David Brooks of The New York Times about a busy week in Washington, D.C. with progress on trade. They also take a look at the 2016 presidential candidates so far.