Pundit Pap for Sunday, January 4th 1998

Pundit Pap
for Sunday, January 4th 1998

MONDAY JANUARY 5TH 1998: NEW YORK-- The pundits were up to their old tricks again this past weekend spewing knowledge about this or that happening during the slowest news week of the year. High on the list was the projected budget surplus. To hear the pundits the amount might be from zero to $300 billion. The President's men were cautious preferring to bank the money or pay down the national debt while Republicans swarmed over the anticipated, but not realized, big bucks praying to use it for promised tax relief.

Meet the Press was particularly disappointing this week and we cover Capital Gang more fully as a result. We again didn't bother with Cokie, Sam and George "S" - - Just too many Christmas decorations to take down to bother.

Here's how it was Sunday, January 4th 1998 in PunditLand:

FOX NEWS SUNDAY (FNS)

Tony Snow

Happy new year Or is it? Snow led with this line and then right to Senator Biden which was probably a planned oxymoronic move.
Snow asked Biden about Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist's public and written complaints to Senator Orrin Hatch about the slow way in which the Senate Judiciary Committee is handling President Clinton's federal judgeship appointments.

Biden answered, " Yes. There seems to be an effort that they will not confirm judges that Republicans don't appoint."

Snow, a staunch apologist for the GOP added "...but t there were 15 more vacancies when your side left."

Biden also tipped his hand as a potential Gephardt supporter criticizing the White House for sending up the appointments on a "timely basis."

He added that Senator Hatch is paying much to much attention to the ultra right wing of the Republican Party in slowing the confirmations and mentioned a tactic, now in fashion among GOP senators called the BLUE SLIP which is kind of a black ball on presidential appointments that Hatch is abiding by.

In short, Biden was admitting that the Senate is just a gaggle of foolish schoolboys as it's always been.

But Biden named names including Senate Goofball Phil Gramm who he defended saying "Gramm thanked me for confirming 8 Texas judges and then said I'd never do it for you.

Biden also fingered Rick Santorum of PA.

Snow moved on to Social Security and the current debate about whether its ills should be cured by raising the retirement age, raising the SS tax or paying into the trust funds with some of that ghostly federal surplus.

Biden went after surplus talking the Administration line which is basically that they are (1) not sure there is a surplus; (2) if there is, then we'll think about it; (3) if there is it probably won't be used for tax cuts.

This writer thinks that it will be used for tax cuts and that this is one of the White House's most closely guarded secrets probably because the President will announce some kind of cut during his upcoming State of the Union address on the 27th.

Snow was going nuts on the use of the term "Lightening Round" -- almost as if he had just been watching old re-runs of PASSWORD.

He went into the first Lightening Round with Biden on foreign policy.

Snow: "Iran"

Biden: "Show me. It's based on actions not words."

Mara Liasson piped in with some wisdom that Iraq was developing a new generation of ballistic missiles and dealing with the French and the Russians on oil matters.

BIden seemed to think that the President has time on his waiver decision and he could sanction Iraq and Russian and France and Germany. "He should," said Biden, "Unless he decides on a national waiver. I think he has to sanction right now. "

Of course, CNN sex symbol Chris-chi-Ahn Amanpour is way ahead of Biden and the White House already touting her special one on one with the top Moolahs in Iran.

Juan Williams brought up Bosnia. Again Biden toed the line, but added that he thought an international police force should be set up to relief our troops of the responsibility to keep those morons away from each other.

My thought? Get the kids out and let them murder each other.

On the Asian economic meltdown Biden thought we would have to reward the banks and the corrupt leadership of certain Asian nations or else we would be punishing American business. Of course, he failed to mention that the IMF bail out money would end up in the pockets of big American business and bankers. The same old story. The bankers especially had long fair warning the the Asian economy was teetering. But why do anything about it. Good old Uncle Sam would bail them out, yet again.

Snow then turned to the "burning" issue of California's smoking ban in all bars, restaurants and almost anywhere else save the street.
He brought on some incapable of uttering a sentence apologist for tobacco called Mike Hambricht and pitted him against a sad blonde woman representing the California Department of Health - Kimberly Bellshay, an interloping "do-gooder" if I ever saw one.

It was a battle of the tiny minds as Bellshay pushed her pap that California was only protecting lives and Hambricht calling her a liar, in not just those words.

It boiled down to the evidence, which it appeared neither of them had, that "proves" side stream tobacco smoke endangers the lives of waiters and bartenders. Although Hambricht did quote a study out of Stockholm, Sweden that says passive smoking injury is baloney. I've read that study. One can only guess.

Hambricht reminded Bellshay that there are 50 million smokers in the US. Actually it's more like 75 million if you count marijuana users. I was surprised that Hambricht didn't use the larger figure. He seemed to be implying that the 50-75 million would rise up and kill the gentle giant of government.

They won't.

It is a draconian law however, but what do you expect from a state which passes a ban on helping Blacks get a good education?

It boils down to this. People in California think they have some heavenly duty to extend their miserable worthless lives. So be it.
Yet, they'll spew all the smog they can from their tailpipes as they cruise the freeway to the next STOP THE SMOKERS rally.

You figure it out.

General Barry McCafferty was up next defending the way he fights drugs. He wasn't bad. Less crazy than usual. He even admitted that the US had plenty of corruption inside the government when it came to drugs "sneaking across" the border from Mexico. You can say that again Barry.

Snow shoed a commercial which is a modern day re-make of the "This is your brain on drugs" where the eggs go into the frying pan... you remember? Well, this time the woman, supposedly strung out of Heroin not only fries the metaphorical brain (the egg) but also goes absolutely berserk and smashes her entire house. I wondered why they didn't show her cutting up her three year old brother just to drive home the point.

Much ado was made of the 200 million the President wants to spend on these types of commercials. But the bottom line is that George Soros is correct. We have to decriminalize certain drugs or the entire country, especially minorities will be in federal prisons already overcrowded with same. Something has to give.

Mara Liasson had a good point. She reminded McCafferty that US tobacco companies spend $7 billion a year to advertise cigarettes and he was only spending a couple of hundred million.

H e had no good reply

McCafferty- yes the data is soft. Heroin abuse is one of those areas.

Mara- what is behind less rug use.

McCafferty: well more we pay attention the more coalitions get involved. There is some reason for optimism The 8th grade population is showing a real downturn

Mara - what about interdiction. You pledge to eradicate drugs from Mexico and the ad seems to be speeding up the stuff for Latin America and sweeping it under the rug,

McCafferty- 30 billion of us drug money is fueling attacks on democracy in Latin We American we have to give he US Customs the TECHNOLOGY.

S- how bout corruption on our side as well. There is a certain amount of creative hypocrisy going on.

Mara- Mexico does not have a rug problem.

McCafferty- but it is growing although only a tenth of that here. We are going to stay at for 10 years, this is not a quick fix. Will also help AIDS - needles.

WILL FIRST DOG BUDDY NEED A LAWYER? It turns out the Buddy in Jordan is "Badi" which is the name of the Mayor of one of its cities. He plans to sue the President

There was some interesting talk on the Presidents Legal Defense Fund which closed its doors this week. Of course, they'll start something new in that regard, but all agreed that the gloves were off with both major parties and the word is out "Get back to basics and raise money."

Snow asked one his dumbest questions yesterday. He couldn't seem to figure our why anyone would contribute to President Clinton's mounting legal bills -- or maybe Roger Ailes planted the question.

Snow asked, "... but what's in it for anyone to contribute to a lame duck?" Well, here's one answer. He's going to be President of the most powerful nation, in every way, for the next three years.

Now Tony, was that a stupid question or what?

Of course Juan Williams gave the dumbest answer. He said, "Well some people like him."

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. You could have picked me off the floor.

The insult of the week came from Brit Hume on the Michael Kennedy death. Watch for Hume's career to end on this one:

Hume actually said, "... a lot of coverage but surprisingly undetailed and gentle. This was about as reckless conduct as you can imagine. Like playing football while riding a bike or a car. You talk about preventable this was really preventable."

Nice Hume. Nothing like kicking a close family in the teeth during their wake for a beloved nephew. Brit, you really are a pompous horses ass.

THE MCLAUGHLIN GROUP

John McLaughlin

John McLaughlin went with the awards again this week. Here they are, with little comment - Not worth one really.

Political Stardom

Fred Barnes
Steve Largent

Eleanor Clift
Eric Holder (the Next Attorney General)

Pat Buchanan
The Bush boys

Mort Kondracke
Senate Bob Kerrey

McLaughlin
McCafferty- Rudy will capture the imagination of the AM people

Political Oblivion

Senators Thompson & Thurmond

Thompson

Ron Carey

Marion Berry

Pete Wilson

Best Political Theater

IRS hearings

Failed Coup against Gingrich which turned him into a moderate

Ten commandments take down in a Southern Court

Newt

The Freeh Reno fracas

Worst Political theater

Clinton in Ohio trying to stir up an encounter like Jerry Springer

Louis Freeh acting like a whiner or Gingrich against Reno

Madeleine Albright singing or Rudy Giuliani dressing up as Marilyn Monroe

Dan Burton on camp finance

Paula Jones on the alleged anatomy on the distinguished member.

Most Damming Scandal

They will find politicians who knew they were taking foreign money

Watergate

The election law abused and unpunished

Greet scandal as JFK deserves to be rated much lower than he is- another Kick in the Kennedy teeth from Kondracke.

Failure of the FBI to turn in data on the Chinese trying to impact

UNDER - REPORTED STORES

Explosion of gambling

Congress failing to pay back UN dues

Chris smith took down fast track, UN dues and IMF because of the President's Partial Birth Abortion Ban veto.

Democrats do not want campaign finance reform

The line item veto even thought he balance of power has shifted

OVER REPORTED STORY

World rage, and El Nino

JonBenet Ramsey

Au pair

Au pair
what about DIANA

BIGGEST GOVERNMENT WASTE

4 billion on Ira computers

Ken Starr spent twice as much as the TWA crash investigation

116 billion bailing out the Asian economies to save US banks like Chase etc.

120 billion that taxpayers pay for Presidential elections

8 billion on Bosnia with no end in site

BEST GOVERNMENT DOLLARS SENT

highways and bridges

bosnia - spared us from refugees and -- and new NASA

NASA s good but also every dollar spent on McVeigh

Head Start

The Pentagon report on Roswell UFO crash

BOLDEST POLITICAL TACTIC

Richard Gephardt attacking from the left and the right

John McCain taking on campaign finance reform to run for President

Clinton- on everything

Senator Mitch McConnell - having the courage to say YES to campaign cash - openly and defend the 1st amendment.

Saddam Hussein telling the UN inspectors inspectors to get lost.

BEST IDEA

sunset the IRS

Texas replacing Alexis with laptops

Relieving the west from depend on Middle east oil

double Medical research budget

Dolly

WORST IDEA

race commission

naming national airport after Ronald Reagan who fired all the air traffic controllers

Taking George Washington's name off that Louisiana school house because George was a slave owner.

Kyoto summit

Bibi Netanyahu's foolhardy attempt to assassinate an Arab terrorist leader which set back peace.

SORRY TO SEE YOU GO

Jimmy Stewart

Carl Sagan

Sir James Goldsmith, member of parliament and fought against the EMU

Sir Issaiah Berlin

15 MINUTES OF FAME

Kelley Flynn
Do and Tee
Primakov
Larry Lawrence
Andrew Cunanan- cowardly punk

BEST SPIN

Al Gore, no controlling authority, or on the Buddhist Temple affair " it wasn't a fundraiser is was a donor maintenance event."

That the flat tax will somehow make people pay lower aces no way

Clinton- this just goes to show need for campaign finance reform.

Kelley Flynn - her perjury ad relentless insubordination

MOST HONEST

Jesse Helms

Strom Thurmond

Roger Tamraz

Liggett Group coming clean on tobacco

Kennedy's the candid and helpful descriptions of their personal lives.

MOST OVERRATED

Robert Rubin

Ross Perot

US economy does not rate with the Reagan economic era.

Jerry Seinfeld - I donut get it

Elton John's Candle in the Wind in the wind for Diana

MOST UNDERRATED

Paul Coverdell- most influential senator next to Trent Lott
(Yes, but soon to be defeated by "Cookie Monster" Michael Coles - editors note)
Alexis Hermann

Duncan Hunter & Gerry Solomon and stood against fast track

John Healy - did more to pass budget agreement

Alexis Hermann

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

Learn to play golf and spend twice as much time at my kids at their sports events

Smile more on this show and easier now that Buchanan agrees with me

Give the eulogy for the IMF

I will fight Parkinson's disease and double he NIH budget

I will shoehorn at least one issue of foreign policy issue on this show each week.

BYE BYE! and we hope no more award shows for awhile John.

CAPITAL GANG

This week with Mona Charen and Howard Fineman.

A pretty big bore with the topics being what to do with surplus, Medicare and Social Security.

The talk was whether Clinton is turning left this term. Fineman asked that question and then answered it saying that Franklin Raines and Robert Rubin - the President's closest financial advisers are both from Goldman-Sacks so there won't be any tax anything big coming from the White House on entitlement programs.

BEST QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "His advisors are closer to Goldman Sacks that to Emma Goldman."

Ruth Coniff of The Progressive Magazine said Clinton will restore food stamps for illegals but not retroactively and will not restore any cash benefits.

Jim Warren of the Chicago Sun Times pointed out the very true fact that there is a spending cap in place anyway and there really isn't that much money to do big things. The flux - maybe 1% which will probably go to federal pay raises.

Fineman thought Clinton was missing a great opportunity to save Social Security right now, but Fineman misses the point. He wants to save it just prior to the 2000 election cycle.

The question after the commercial break?

Should terry Nichols and the Unabomber get the death penalty?

HUH??

Robert Rubin himself was up next. He merely squashed all the rumors that there was a surplus and said that even if there were that the President would not spend it unwisely or by giving tax cuts to the rich -- a blow at Republicans.

Rubin said the White HOuse would want to spend the money on things for middle income Americans and do nothing that would undermine our "fiscal discipline" or shift the tax burden.

You could see the campaign right then. The Democrats will accuse the GOP of using money better spent to pay down more of the deficit for tax cuts and the flat-taxers for shifting the income tax burden from the wealthier to the working man.

It's a dream platform.

Rubin also hinted that the White House would pay for any moderate changes in the tax code to be presented by Clinton on the 27th from cuts in corporate welfare.

Dwayne Andreas - watch your ethanol butt.

From what Rubin said yesterday, the White House will not propose a Social Security save on its own. It's more likely that the President will appoint a bipartisan commission to study it. Then the Dems and the Republicans will jump off the bridge together.

Dick Armey and Billy Tauzin were next touting their Flat and Federal Sales Tax ideas to a skeptical panel.

The truth is that flat taxes are fair. They are PROPORTIONAL not regressive. Remember that. (editors note)

Most naive comment yesterday? Susan Page saying, "...most politicians underestimate the intelligence of the people. "

Wrong again Susan. Most politicians OVERESTIMATE it.

And that's the way it was.