It's the same reason we have spittoons and snuff boxes in the chamber. There's a veneration of the way the chamber has always operated.

In general, they are lucky to get any of their recommendations adopted. A lot of commissions have filed reports, and no one pays attention. By the time they have done their work, attention has moved onto something else - which is, of course, the reason why presidents create commissions.

Because everybody's all in the same room, just as a fail-safe situation, they make sure that there's one member of the cabinet who isn't there.

The first national convention of any political party was the anti-Masonic party.

There is a tradition of not wearing two hats in the government.

Part of the reason I'm coming down here is to get a first-hand view of what's happening there. I'd really like to hold off in terms of making assessments of what is going to transpire there in terms of encroachment.