Sen. Levin: lobbyists make it hard to debate.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: WASHINGTON PULSE: NEWS FROM INSIDE THE BELTWAY

* The defense industry's political clout occasionally can backfire. Case in point are recent comments by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., who chairs the influential Armed Services Committee. A reporter asked Levin to comment on a proposal by his colleague Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., to open to the public the committee's markup sessions. Levin said he would not entirely object to the idea...