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FEATURE
PUNDIT PAP
Tim Russert King of the Cagey "Get-Clinton" Pundits.
for Sunday, March 8th 1998
MONDAY MARCH 9TH 1998-NEW YORK -- A message for Tim Russert: Tim, you've taken a great show and turned it into a macabre three-ring circus featuring any guest you can find who will ( 1 ) put down the President; ( 2 ) appeal to the basest intellects in America, and; ( 3 ) make Marvin Kalb roll in his grave. Your performance during the past two months has been despicable and that dye job you're sporting looks ridiculous. Grow up Tim. You're better than that. We know. We've catalogued nearly every word you've spoken on television for the past two years. Perhaps you ought to spend less time with Don Imus and more time looking at the facts. You'll appear on Imus this morning with Rush Limbaugh who probably flew down just to boost his sagging ratings. We think that's a fitting match-up, you and Rush.
By the way Tony Snow - "Dr. Laura" and "Judge Judy" -- as commentators on the world scene -- are also significant signs that you are losing your magic touch. It Ailes their manager?
NOTE: We caught Tim's act on Don Imus' show this a.m. Have you no shame Tim? We recommend you read the latest issue of Columbia Journalism Review - Its seems they've called "you" to a "T".
Only Donaldson seems more desperate."
'Nuf said.
This week the pundits were not out in force. Tony Snow did an excellent job as usual, no matter how we hate to give kudos to Roger Ailes and Ms. Hume. No one, on any pundit show brought up the Sandy Hume/Bill Paxon rumor published in the Jerusalem Post last Friday alleging that Hume and Paxon were lovers and caught in a cauldron of intrigue that ended young Sandy Hume's brilliant life.
We think it's a lie. But we also think it should be put to rest.
We don't think we've ever been bored with The McLaughlin Group, but this week John came close to putting us to sleep. Sam and Cokie? Well, they were Sam and Cokie -- soon to be someone and somewhere else, we've heard.
FOX NEWS SUNDAY
We missed the first 15 minutes of Snow because we were waiting to see Jimmy Breslin on CNN. Breslin did not disappoint. He mirrored our thoughts exactly saying:
"Reporting on the Clinton affair is "CATHOUSE JOURNALISM." --- Here that Russert?
When we did get to Snow he had turned to Gene Sperling, White House financial spinner and Geek Senator Phil Gramm whose biggest claim to fame is how badly he lost the GOP primaries in '96. His wife, often thought to be on "various payrolls," was not accompanying him yesterday.
Tony was shortstopped by Mara Liasson the only liberal left on NBC. They talked about Medicare. Of course Snow's real gambit was to make a mockery of the President's commission intimating that "some" Republicans "say" that a commission postpones real reform. Well heck, that's true. But then again, a slow typist entering the commission's report also "postpones" reform Tony. Gramm's pea brain might also slow reform -- or there might be a tornado in Washington which slows reform. What's your point?
Gramm, as always, sticking his foot in it, said that it was "the private meetings" that are important. Sure Phil, we agree --- those private meetings with Wall Street mavens who can't wait to get their hands on the Social Security Trust Fund and "invest" it in their latest homes in Greenwich and Palm Beach.
Gramm all but said he was in favor of selling Social Security and Medicare to the highest bidder. He called it "more investment based." Ha, ha, ha - you bet Phil. Mara set the trap asking the Senator what he thought about privatizing Medicare. Gramm really never answered but Sperling jumped in and applauded himself about protecting core elements of the system."We ned to protect core elements before 44% of the elderly had no protection, now only 15% of elderly have nothing. Gee, ONLY 15% Gene?
More talk about Senator John Breaux's breaking with the White House on the President's "Buy Into Medicare" program which has been a wide flop on the Hills. Sperling offered that Senator Moynihan would carry the Clinton ball on this issue.
Gramm had a good line here: "The president's proposal is that like, your mama is on the Titanic and is sinking -- and the President wants to get more people on the boat. "
Snow, taking a hit at Clinton offered this question: Why is the President calling for new spending "responsible" and the GOP's proposal for tax cuts "irresponsible?"
Well Tony, it's something called POLITICS.
After the break Snow, following his Bible Pattern went into a spin he sub-titled "Are we Failing our Kids."
Who does he invite on to discuss the Weighty topic -- noneother than "Judge Judy" Sheindlin! Ha, ha, hahaa. Guess her ratings need a boost. Now, don't get us wrong. We love "Judge Judy," but having on what's supposed to be a serious show is reaching. Joining Judy were scions of intellect -Rob Reiner and Ann "Pleshette" Murphy who must be the daughter of used-to-hot babe Suzanne Pleshette.
Reiner was a piece of work going on about "Development Levels" - as if he'd just memorized the term. Judy wasn't too good either and Murphy was okay. The bottom line - hey parents take care of you kids and if you can't we'll do it for you.
A total waste of air time.
Judge Judy did admit beating her kids - well she said spanking, and Rob said that was bad. If you fall for this garbage you can reach Meathead at
Rob's Children and Family's First Initiative - 213-627-5140 E-MAIL children98@aol com.
Here;s a flash: Reiner thinks he's gonna finance his cult with tobacco tax money.
Snow saved the beef for last asking WHO LEAKED? (the president's Paula Jones deposition.)
Mara Liasson had it right -- "Bill Briscoe and the Rutherford institute and the 20 lawyers up there." she frowned.
Snow - An ordered defense trooper of Starr said, so seriously that we laughed out loud, "Let me say that other lawyers in the White House like Harold Ickes and Mickey Cantor would have access."
Juan Williams, true to the only guy in Washington who fights for black families said that it had to be the White House leaking because Mike McCurry said "no one here" - but there are others "there" -- it was very beneficial to the white house." Talk about grabbing at straws. But then, Juan is on both the Post AND Ailes payroll - so what can he do but reach?
Paul Gigot, a nice guy and whore to Wall Street, said that there was a big potential problem - "The testimony difference between Ms. Willey and the President."
Why is that Paul? Don't you think Willey is a liar? We do. Even Linda Tripp does.
Williams comes to the defense of his Betty Currie, who he probably sees as a "sister." - although she'd probably punch him if she met him on the Metro. Juan claims she's the "linchpin" (which made us cringe) and offered that the President is telegraphing what he wants her to say through Jordan ( a 'brother) and his own remarks during open press conferences.
As usual Juan Williams is absurd beyond words. If the President wanted to telegraph something to Currie, he could just take a walk in the park with her -- after sweeping her for Starr-Bugs -- and tell her his concerns.
Mara was so insightful - tee hee - saying that Vernon Jordan's statement that he had kept faith during his depo was a clear AOK signal to the Clintons. Gee Mara. Maybe he was just quoting someone else - which he was.
The discussion went down hill from there and into Puerto Rican statehood which was so boring we got up for popcorn. Juan of, course, defended the English only portion of the statehood debate. What a piece of work he is. We bet he lives high.
Another Fox News insider dies this week - Eric Brindell died suddenly at 42, for some reason Snow pointed out that he had been a heroin addict.
The joke of the day. Snow picking on Senator Patrick Leahy for getting the President to declare that Lake Champlain is now one of the Great Lakes. Snow said why not have him strike Lust as one of the seven deadly sins?
Hey Tony. You can do better than that.
MCLAUGHLIN GROUP
McLauglin started right in the Lewinsky scandal. Most agreed that Clinton was no where near the precipice as Nixon was because the economy is so strong and Americans are more greedy than judgmental.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Pat Buchanan said, "The only thing that will knock Clinton out of office is "A dead girl or a live boy in bed."
David Gergen, who is appearing all too often on television shared that Nixon felt his support eroded in '74 because the economy had collapsed. Of course, the economy hadn't collapsed, and never really did during the 70s but interest was high, very high.
Fred Barnes couldn't get a word in for the first 10 minutes of the show - thankfully
Clift said that the US was a very tolerant nation and reluctant to judge lest they be judged -- except people on this set of course.
McLaughlin threw out the 1 to 10 question of whether the people will turn on Clinton:
Barnes - 4
Clift -0
Gergen - 4
McLaughlin -5 and dropping
Buchanan - 5 and will go up during the Paula Jones trial. Ha, ha, ha. Good try Pat. What Paula Jones "Trial" -- you mean that freak show that your buddies on the Christian Right plan to throw. No way. Americans aren't that stupid.
Issue two - Doubling Jeopardy
McLaughlin and the panel then engaged in some ridiculous discussion of how the President was going to get out of this mess and how much "wiggle room" he had. McLaughlin offered that the POTUS had taken a vow of silence on Monicagate but that the Washington Post - illegally - had run a copy of his Paula Jones deposition. Gee, by the way WP - aren't you proud that you're teaching our children that it's okay to STEAL in order to sell more papers? McLaughlin covered himself however by admitting that the depo would either increase of DECREASE his jeopardy in the Starr Chamber.
The portion of the discussion that made us laugh most was this crap about the President only answering "perfectly phrased" questions. You know, the line that all reporters now use because they ask such poorly phrased questions. Well, it's a line of pap as usual. If you look at the transcripts of any press conference, the President answers all questions and does not have some strange interpretation of the truth. This "rumor" was started by the Bimbo- Dolly, who claims to have had
Clinton answers only perfectly framed questions - did Paula's layers leave too much wiggle room?
Clift pointed out that in order to prove obstruction of justice you have to prove conspiracy. And Barnes retorted that this is why the President's secretary, Betty Currie is so important - implying that Betty and Bill conspired to lie to Starr.
Well. wouldn't you? Just kidding.
A new issue did emerge, and this was about "a videotape or audiotape " that Lewinsky may have sent to the President. Gergen phumphaed a little bit when McLaughlin asked him what was on it. Gergen didn't know, but seemed sure the FBI had the tape(s). One thing is for sure, if they have such tape, there isn't anything on it proving obstruction.
McLauglin homed in on Willey again. Saying that Willey will testify that she went into the Oval Office to ask the POUTS for a permanent job because she and her husband were having financial problems. She claims that the President tool her to his private study and hugged her and tried to comfort her. But that then he tried to "do" her, fondling her breasts and putting her hand on his erection. Then Willey claims she heard a knock on the door - and she took the opportunity to flee the study. AND GET THIS - she saw the Secretary of the Treasury "waiting to see the President."
Gee! How convenient. Now Willey has provided a quiet corroboration for Starr. She SAW the Secretary of the Treasury. Now all Starr has to do is match the White House visit logs for that time and date and see if the Treasury Secretary was indeed in the anteroom of the Oval Office. Sound like a set up to you? It does to us.
Willey, another "victim" told the same story to the Jones lynch mob. Another coincidence?
Eleanor Clift, defender of the faith herself offered that two girls "don't make a pattern" - remember that Willey has a friend who asked her to lie, and now she has portrayed herself as a liar.
Buchanan, not content to keep his mouth shut under the current GOP gag order offered that this was "factually" the "Fourth Perjury" -- sounds like a book title to me. The other threes? Paula, Gennifer and Tripp. Gee Pat, what about that psycho-bimbo Dolly whose husband published her "book" as part of her "therapy."
Issue three was Senator Orrin Hatch's roast of Bill Gates which the panel agreed was "fair" -- all but Fred Barnes, who as we all know, worships money.
Everyone also agreed that Ken Starr had "won the week" over Clinton. How myopic can you get, John?
MEET THE PRESS
Well, what can we say. It's down to Tony Snow - his network also the subject of CJR this week. But Snow still has the best show on the air, despite being short staffed with Hume on leave.
Russert was eager to strike another blow at Bill Clinton, belying a certain sexual frustration of his own we think brought out the big guns this week to attempt to "finish" the President. Russert only succeeded in looking like Matt Drudge, although Drudge is honest enough to say he doesn't deal in news presentation.
Who does Russert start the show with? None other than William Bennett, altar boy of the right and professional Clinton basher since his book fell short. Bennett the quintessential whiner and insipid beadlike moralizer had Russert riveted as if Tim were seven years old sitting in bible class with Mother Superior.
Russert also slyly brought on Leon Panetta, not known to be an effective defender of the White House against the "independent Starr" and "media" lynch mobs now locked in some battle to the death with Clinton spin doctors to see who can lie the best. Of course Russert, who's main line is "Tell us all about it Mr. Clinton" despite the fact that Tim won't tell us about his pecadilloes or lack there of, must have brought up Bill Clinton's promise to bring the facts to the fore at least a dozen times in the 40 minutes between ADM commercials that he had to 'Dis' the pres. Of course what Russert doesn't tell his viewers is that the President never said he would tell the entire story, he never said when, and he certainly shouldn't be going on national television to tell "the people" about his personal life -- whether he had sex with Lewinsky or not.
The gall of Russert is incredible, and then to bring on saps like Bennett, David Broder and WILLIAM SAFIRE -- the crown assassin of both Bill and Hillary Clinton is just too much. Safire, who sits on the Pulitzer Board should have his "Essay" pulled from every newspaper in America inasmuch as his fishing expeditions on the Clintons have turned up ZERO over a four year long snipe attack on them. He writes anything but essays -- more like Mein Kampf pieces designed to insult the first lady and the White House at every opportunity. Safire is druggedly compelled to destroy Clinton in order to get back at Democrats for putting him out to pasture soon after his buddy Dick Nixon hit the pavement 25 years ago. But that's another story. Bill Safire whose plot to bring himself back to the fore is working, (He's been on television a few times following years of Bill Who? by generation X), ought take the litmus test himself. After all we trust HIM to tell us the truth. Why doesn't he tell us about HIS sex life? - or lack thereof.
So here's Bill Bennett, a nobody compared to his brother; a guy who had to make a name for himself writing feminine books about masculine games and child rearing. Here's Bennett telling Trent Lott - a guy who irons his own shirts in his Senate office AFTER they've just come in from the commercial laundry - that its Lott's job to lead the Senate, but "It's Starr's job to be independent. And Bennett says this with a straight face.
Sure William. Kenneth is a good boy. Totally non-partisan. Only interested in the truth. THEN WHY DOES HE THINK THE FIRST AMENDMENT ONLY PROTECTS TRUTH AND NOT WHAT IT IS PROTECTING -- FREEDOM! - you silly ass wimp.With Timothy's lead egging him on, William tells us that Kenneth has to under a lot of pressure. After all, the poor boy, who's making a million a year defending child killer cigarette manufacturers, is "...getting all the moral outrage and .... it's Kenneth's job to persevere in silence." Oh my, poor Kenny, he's getting all the moral outrage and all he's trying to do is persevere. So why does he stop in front of that ugly tract house of his and give reporters one-liners designed to infuriate the White House and keep this cock fight going?
We'll tell you why Uncle William - protector of White children against Black drug dealers - MONEY that's why. Money from billion-nut Dick Scaife for his cushy chair at Pepperdunce in Malibu. Money from right wing fanatic clients who want Ken in their corner when they face the Big Kahuna at the pearly gates. Money for his Book, for his television appearances. Starr is so overcome that he can hardly walk under the burden of his newfound wealth.
And you know what? He could indict the president and the first lady at the drop of a hat. He could manufacture evidence, he could argue beautifully against a motion to dismiss an maybe get away with it. He knows it. But do you? Do you know how frightening it must be to have a piranha like Starr nipping at your heels with the full force the FBI behind him? Do you know that all Starr has to do is fill out a few documents and Pow! the president's finished -- even if the documents e a lie or a stretch of the truth.
William Bennett know that. Tim Russert - well who knows what he knows. He just reads leading questions to buffoons hand selected to say what he wants them to say.
One reason Russert invited Panetta in a phony "balance" ploy was so he could ask this question of Leon :
Russert: " You urged the president to come forward as soon as possible He has ignored your advice thus far."
Now what the heck does that mean Russert! "As soon as possible" doesn't mean yesterday, today or tommorrow Timothy -- it means as soon as POSSIBLE. If you were he, would you think NOW is a good time to tell a nazi like Starr your intimate secrets are share them with 300 million Americans who already told you they don't want to hear this garbage anymore? You poser. You phoney. So you ask Leon Panetta, the President's ex chief of staff to put him in your cute little box, and you know his own political ambitions make it impossible for him to jump on you or defend Clinton. You're a slime Russert.
As Russert knew, Panetta's defense was weak. Rather than leave it alone he goes back:
"Shouldn't the president come forward and tell the nation, explain to the nation what the facts really are," preaches Timothy.
Hey Tim, no one cares if Monica did the entire Kama Sutra on George Washington's desk at high noon no Easter with Bill Clinton. They've told you, they've told us -- IT'S HIS PRIVATE LIFE! - and only scum suckers like you pretend the people have a right to know. They not only don't have a right to know - they don't give a damn.
And what's worse, neither do you. You hypocrite.
Then Russert switches his pea-shooter to Betty Currie - mocking Vernon Jordan, a man Russert's not fit to groom, asking, "Betty Currie is said to have handled... did any OTHER interns have as many visits to the White House or had anyone give HER so much concern over getting her a job?
Look at that. Russert knows that Monica didn't come into the White House 37 times to "do" the president. She was a River Club girl, a bar sitter a power layer. She was a neurotic, smart, cool girl way older than her 21 years. (See William Safire's (gag) comments in his column today.)
Then on comes Doris Kearns Goodwin - America's Little Historian Girl. She both defends and stabs Clinton in the back telling everyone abut FDR, Lincoln, Ike, Kennedy and LBJ's affairs and then has the nerve, the utter gall to say that the thing that disturbs her was that IT HAPPENED AT THE WHITE HOUSE! Hey Doris - historian entertainer - it didn't happen at the White House - at least not yet, and even if it did, this FICTION about that building being "The People's House" is utter nonsense. It's the president's home and in it are his private offices. Plain and Simple. The PEOPLE can't go in it whenever they want to. A FAMILY lives there. They deserve their privacy -- whether they're good or bad. And you, of all hypocrites, should not be casting stones.
Russert goes on to parrot every other journothug with his or her neck out ready to be chopped, just fussing like the old woman he is about the President's extraordinary poll numbers. He then gets his whore guests to agree that its the economy that is letting the President "get away with this absolute HORROR!!!!"
Regurgitation Time.
Then, to show exactly how big an ignoramus he really is, Russert puts up another gimmicked poll that shows JIMMY CARTER as the most respected president, when even Russert should know that Jimmy Carter and his buddies let BCCI into the United States first through Georgia and that Carter is responsible for hawking the HONESTY of BCCI to several very poor nations who almost lost their entire treasuries based on his HONEST recommendation. Yep, Carter is sure laudable.
Bennett, who knows the nation is just laughing at him tries this one: "It's not just about sex. The problem is he has lied and lied under oath...Look, if the truth comes out that he lied and the polls don't change then its too bad for the country. Children are watching this. People say we should be more European - it's precisely the moral "squid" - (we think he means "squib") which is also an improper use of the word - "that makes us different. They have to hold him to account!"
Here's our spinterpretor on that one:
"Hey. I know this sex stuff is attractive, even to me. So let me try this. Children are watching. Huh? Okay, so children don't watch the news and these pundit shows. Don't make such a big deal -- it sounds good.After all, I made an entire mediocre career out of telling people how to raise their kids -- even though I have no background to do so. Anyway CHILDREN ARE WATCHING - somewhere, I just know it. Okay, I'll put down Europeans instead. Yeah, those wops with their open lovers while married - disgusting. Why should they get to have a young girl and I don't? I'll call it the MORAL SQUID or is it squib, no Squid. How's this for a sound bite --- THEY HAVE TO HOLD HIM TO ACCOUNT!!! Pretty good eh?"
Here's another great Bennett line -- "How bout this, this is a mud fight, and Starr has a pea shooter and the White House is a mud factory! The president should call off his goons."
Well, after we stopped rolling on the floor laughing till we puked we began yelling at the screen - Hey Bennett, remember your President Bush. Who was that old board he had stashed away, and still does just outside DC? But, your boss was smart -- he told the press to stuff it right from the get go. That was smarter. Of course, he didn't have candy-ass Starr pursuing HIM with that pea shooter called THE FBI and a $50 million plus bank account to lynch Bill Clinton did he?
Gee, do you think George ever told Ms X - "Hey Ms X, if anyone ever asks you whether we do the wild thing - you won't tell 'em will ya? Yeah, that's a good girl, now come to daddy."
Bennett, buoyed by nitwit Russert just goes berserk and says, "But there were no nuts and sluts in the White House to fight bimbo eruptions ... "
Nuts and sluts ha, haha, haha. Bennett is gone. Looney Toones. Ha, ha, ha
Then Russert shows the famous "sooner than later" clip of the President AGAIN.
"The White House has changed it strategy, until they hear from Monica Lewinsky. That doesn't sound like an innocent man," spits Russert.
Why you bum. Who said the White House is waiting until they hear from Monica? Huh? Who told you that. Or did that little nerd Stuart Taylor -- ya know the one who made his name siding with Paula Jones in the most ridiculous brief we ever read of 'American Lawyer?' Did HE tell you that? We bet. You know we saw Taylor on that other ADM show - Jim Lehrer's News Hour - and Taylor has just now become arrogant - like some television stars. I mean, here was Odie Colognie and now he thinks he's Marlon Brando and you TIM RUSSERT think he's smart. Why he's just packing his million into his little wallet, to go into his little suit pocket as fast as he can run.
Sweet Doris sputters, "We want to hear him give a big speech. His advisors know this is not good and has minimized the presidency."
Okay Doris. How? Nobody buys Jones, Lewinsky, Flowers and DOLLY THE SHEEP's stories. Every one of these women is a bit off, don't you think. So what's the minimizer. European leaders with the bevy of mistresses and boys? Arab leaders with their harems? South American dictators with their putas? What is it Doris. What's the minimizer. You truth twister. And you call yourself a historian?
Bennett spurred on by Kearns-Goodwin says,"He is already a diminished man, he is in a bunker and for what has he risked his legacy? He is dogged. He has done this to himself, and that calls into judgement his ability to govern this nation.
At last the Knife. "Calls into judgement the ability to govern this nation." Wow. Bennett must have practices that one in front of a mirror. What has screwing some bimbo or less have to do with governing a nation? Since all our great presidents did it, I guess you're just plain wrong Bennett, as usual. Why don't you retire to your hole at whatever right-wing tax exempt foundation think tank has been paying your booze bills this month.
Panetta makes another weak attempt to stop Bennett from characterizing Starr et al's charges against the president as FACT. But it doesn't work. Like an enraged homosexual queen Bennett mounts his soap box and putting on his best professorial preacher face says his is "disturbed by Rev. Billy Graham's defense of Mr. Clinton adding that "if he lied under oath it is unforgivable."
Let's say he lied a teeny bit about his sex life. Isn't that the right think to do rather than the wrong thing. Or hey William, did your mother and dad teach you to tell everyone about who you had sex with? And we bet you did, because it was such a rare event. Perhaps the president was being a gentleman -- a word you're obviously not familiar with because you nor that putz RUssert would have the gall to say the things you do -- the way you same them - to Bill or Hillary Clinton in person, and in front of their young daughter -- but you lie and say mean things on national television don't you. With those studio guards and drivers to protect you. You make us sick. There are dishonorable truths and honorable lies -- and you have them reversed you bloodsuckers.
The Roundtable
The only halfway decent person on Russert's 'hang Clinton" roundtable was old Mary McGrory. She joined Bill Safire, Gwen Ifill - a fine Black woman journalist - chose by Russert to represent the President (of course) and none other than pompous old Bill Safire - there to push his column today because he happened to run into Monica Lewinsky getting tanked at the Cosmos Club last week. David Broder, getting more conservative every day was also there pontificating about morals he never had himself.
That's right folks the venerable Cosmos Club. The last time we were there was for a small reception for Emelda Marcos. She was charming and wore regular old shoes. But the Cosmos is tres elegante and looks like a mausoleum -- so apropos for Safire who should - "sooner not later" -- enter one permanently, at least a journalistic mausoleum.
Broder said that he would bet anything (how bout your career) that American will say that no one is above the law. While we might agree with that, we don't see what that has to do with whether the president boffed someone on Lincoln's desk and then told her to hush up about it so as not to hurt his wife. Broder and the rest of the sharks seem to want to equate little white lies about one's sex life with hiding a butcher knife with which you've just killed Christ.
It doesn't wash.
Safire, we think, said something silly like the President is costly the country in a huge way because expansion of NATO is coming to the floor of the Senate next week. Gee Bill Safire, I guess you better get down there and carry the ball. He also said that the President's "actions" will have "enormous repercussions" on other issues like Medicare. "No word form the President," he spat. All we are talking about is this foolishness. He alone can clear it up. The cost is enormous."
This is Safire at his best -- as a liar. The president is deeply involved in NATO expansion and the upcoming vote. He is the leader on Medicare reform and expansion and he is the ONLY one talking about policy. The rest -- including Safire are feathering their nests, and their wallets on the backs of Monica, Paula, Kathleen, Hillary, Chelsea and Bill.
Safire then told his pathetic tale of meeting Monica at the Cosmos Club. It was a bore and so is he. His point was that she was in fine spirits. So what? Wouldn't you be if you just signed a multi-million book deal with movie rights?
Gwen Ifill and Mary McGrory were the only ones with any sense at all. Gwen said she though the people judge their politicians differently than they judge their ministers. "I think the public is saying this is getting old," she added.
And she's right.
Then wimpout Broder actually says: "That's why we are being TOO EASY on this president. This has become a personal vendetta - What kind of president engages in this?
We'll tell you what kind. The smart kind who recognizes a group of jack-booted neo-nazi thugs that have been out to get him since before he took office. The same cast. Scaife, Tripp, Starr - they've been around for a long time. And they'll get him, if they have to kill him with insult and innuendo, lie and deceit, illegal wiretaps and their own private SS - the mainstream media which gloats over its newfound cash cow and extends the misery of everyone involved -- for what? A few ratings points and just another big house in the Hamptons.
Safire, acting like a cagey Rabbi says - "let's get to the real mystery here." We hung on his every word while we made more popcorn. He said this: ha, haha -- Who wrote the :talking points for Linda Tripp? A Specific piece of hard evidence. Why are Lewinsky's layers negotiating with Starr for three weeks? Then answer is that she will say she had sex with the President, but will not tell them who wrote those talking points -- Bruce Lindsey, the President - who?"
Ha, ha, haha, hah! And this coot thinks we're all waiting to find out.
Well, we have a message for you moron. It wasn't the president and that's all the counts. And we'll tell you this -- our sources are much better than yours we think. We actually use our brains. We think it was Linda Tripp who wrote those talking points for herself and pretended they came from someone "inside" the White House. Despite what you hear, they were not written by a lawyer - they are too poorly drafted and no lawyer in this right mind would set them to paper. No, Monica and Linda cooked them up themselves -- and that will come out soon.
safire - lets get to the real mystery here. Who wrote the talking points. a specific piece of hard evidence. These are the points that lew gave tripp. Why is lewinsky lawyers negotiating with starr for three weeks. The answer is that she will say sex yes, but will not say who wrote those points - lindsey, pres who?
MAry McGrory, the wise old bird asked Safire how he knew he all this. Safire stammered, just a bit, and said "from what I read,' and then Russert, the slime, slips in quickly to save his butt and interrupts Mary and says - " it's been reported widely" making Safire look stupid anyway.
We'll tell you this. Safire has about as much inside information on this or any White House issue as we have about his jockey shorts. And that's the truth. He a dried up has been with no entre anywhere. He's living on his past -- which wasn't so great anyway. Safire and his ilk are sitting around the University Club waiting to die. He won't be missed.
Mary McGrory, on the other hand, will be.
Safire made one last stab at a lie to hurt Hillary Clinton. He said that in a few months Jim Guy Tucker will be the household word. Only problem is that Tucker is NOT "singing like a mocking bird" like Safire claimed yesterday. What he is doing is perjuring himself further in order to try and save his skin. Even Ken Starr wouldn't put that fool on the stand. Now that Fool Number One is gone -God bless McDougal's hide- Starr is finished. Tucker is a proven liar and won't do Starr a bit of good. First of all Tucker knows zero first hand about Hillary Clinton - -who Safire says will be Starr's target using Tucker. Second, Tucker is a felon. Does Safire really think a jury in Arkansas or Washington is going to indict or convict President bill Clinton based on testimony from a lying politician and a twisted prosecutor.
Hey Bill! Do you think everyone lives in your Hell?
Russert, to be cute showed a clip of Vernon Jordan putting Jimmy Carter in his place - where he belonged. Russert's point - who know? He just wanted to show Vernon Jordan attacking another president. Well Carter was eminently attackable, particularly by the Black community -worldwide. Carter turned his back on American Blacks and South African Blacks all too often. Now he tries to assuage his guilt by building them cheap-ass houses with habitat for humanity - a stupid program to make white folks feel good about ourselves. A typical Carter effort.
Tim Russert: You better hope that Starr has something on the Clintons. Otherwise, you'll be selling television time instead of wasting it.
THIS WEAK WITH SAM AND COKIE
The big topics on This Week: leaks (do they help the President?), fund raisers (Johnny Chung indicted!), and, of course, Iraq (how is our news division going to get ratings when we don't have a war?). They somehow downplayed what appeared to be the emerging "big story" of the weekend: public calls by senior GOP politicians, most notably Trent Lott, for Kenneth Starr to wrap up his investigation.
Once again, the first segment on this week was the most substantial. The guest was United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Cokie asked about alleged confusion should Iraq break the agreement reached with Annan last week. She said "the United States has given a strong indication that it will go in with an immediate strike. There are some in the Security Council that say that shouldn't happen, the matter should be brought back to the Security Council."
Annan has already proven himself a highly capable diplomat and public speaker, and he's getting more comfortable with network appearances. In his answers he consistently mixed calculated, diplomatic language with emphatic clarity on the issues at hand, and one quickly got the feeling he was speaking Saddam as well as to the American public and pols. His reply: "Let me say that in my own statements to the Security Council, when they adopted the last resolution, I indicated that if Iraq were not to comply, diplomacy may not be given a second chance... if Iraq were to break the agreement, it would be much easier to get an agreement in the Council to take a military action against Iraq. I hope that will not happen. I hope they will honor the commitment. But even if the U.S. goes unilaterally, you recall on this occasion, they did to both here are and in capitals. I suspect that whatever happens in the future that kind of consultation will take place."
Sam Donaldson asked about the situation in Kosovo; should the Macedonian force be strengthened?
Annan: "In light of recent developments I think we all have to reconsider our approach. And I'm confident that the member states will take a second and not insist on withdrawing troops from Macedonia." He further stated that the situation is being handled by local, that is European, alliances, and that a Spanish Representative will spearhead and lead diplomatic efforts. Annan explained that he refers to the region as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" because "otherwise, I would get into trouble with Greece," which is disputing use of the name with their neighbors.
Donaldson turned the subject matter to back to Iraq, and Russia's suggestion that a deputy co-chairman, who is Russia, go to all the sites with the chairman of UNSCOM and the possibility that UN ambassador Bill Richardson would veto the proposal. Annan explained that UNSCOM felt it should expand the nationality base of members and the number of countries participating. He said he would study the issue and get back to the council as a whole. On the issue of a possible U.S. veto, a question Donaldson irritatingly harped on, Annan reported that the U.S. could veto it, but the council can discuss whether it is a legitimate request.
George Will, This Week's rabid foe of the horrors of globalism, pointed out to Annan that, in earlier interviews, he had said that there would be "something" in the UN before the U.S. would strike, and that he had also spoken about "consultation" if Iraq doesn't comply. "Let me try to pin this down: is it your judgment that if Iraq does not comply with the agreement that the United States requires UN approval or does it already have sufficient authority to attack Iraq?"
Will is continually oblivious to the concept of international diplomacy.
Annan mentioned the Russia, French, and Chinese resistance to the idea of automatic retaliation and said that he felt that if the U.S. wanted to strike they should consult with the other members of the Security Council. However, "as I have indicated earlier, in my own judgments, if Iraq order break the sanctions I think the mood in the council will be quite different."
Will, ever vigilant about even the slightest hint that American sovereignty might be threatened by internationalism, followed up with predictable pap: "Clearly, you may be saying the United States, if it acted without UN approval, would not be acting in the name of the UN. Would the United States, if it acted on its own, be violating international law of any in sort?"
Annan: "...the three members [France, Russia, China] would prefer council action."
Will then prefaced a ridiculous question with an even more ridiculous assertion: "You've spoken in connection with the inspection regime in Iraq to respecting the dignity, their pride, there sovereignty, et cetera. Is not the Iraq regime therefore given a sort of freedom to define when it's dignity, pride and sovereignty are offended?"
Annan: "Not at all, Mr Will... We secured three things. Iraq reaffirms its acceptance of all Security Council resolutions and its application, secondly, it agreed to unrestricted access to UN inspections, and that means all UN inspections. And then we focus on the presidential sites, the eight presidential sites, which I managed to get them to define for the first time in seven years only last week! It is with regard to those eight sites that we will add some diplomats to the team of inspectors, the inspection will be done by experts. The team leader will be an expert. And the inspectors will be there as, as it were, eyes and ears of the international community. They'll be watching both ways to insure Iraq lives up to the commitment, to commit limits made it to me and the Security Council and tend to the international community. And for them to also observed that the UN inspectors are being sensitive to Iraqi concerns of dignity, because of the nature of the sites, because there presidential palaces and guest houses. And they will have no other role than, and Iraqis will not tell us where and when to go and which palaces to inspect. The surprise element is still there. It will be that of Mr. Butler's."
When asked by Will about an end to the sanctions, Annan said that is entirely up to the inspectors who will be reporting back to the Security Council: the criteria will be full disarmament (that is, the complete elimination of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction).
The next segment featured Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN), partially trying to put the best face on his mediocre performance as chairman of the Senate "Let's Make a Fund raising Scandal & Paint It On the Democrats" Committee, but also providing his predictably jaundiced view of StarrGate.
The first question from Cokie was not about fund raising, but Trent Lott's comment that Kenneth Starr should wrap up his investigation. Thompson: "The leader was taken a little bit out of context but not much. I sympathize with the sentiment, we would also like to see it over with one way or another. We need to keep in mind the hardest thing for Washington to say is we don't know... we don't know so what he's got... there'll be an accounting. In the meantime we have got to let it play out."
NOTE: Lott was obviously thrashed this weekend by his GOP cohorts because this morning he called on the President to come out and tell the whole truth and spare the nation. Ha, ha, haha. What a ponce.
End if anyone should know anything about "not knowing," it's Thompson. He keeps making claims about a Chinese government plot to buy into American elections, but seems to have little evidence to bolster his claim.
Cokie then asked about the official GOP spin "feeler" of the week: a possible move by Congress to censure the President. Thompson: "that's way down the road... In terms of something as an option as an alternative, it all depends on the facts." In other words, Thompson, like Arlen Specter, figures a vote of censure would probably help the President's approval ratings.
Donaldson made mention of Specter's comment that the censure vote "wouldn't be worth a tinker's damn."
Thompson: "in terms of driving the president from office, he's right."
Donaldson: "Do you think Kenneth Starr is part of a vast right-wing conspiracy?"
Thompson: "No."
Donaldson: "Why not?"
Thompson: "This is a fella who has gotten extremely good marks from both Democrats and Republicans... the White House is clearly trying to change the subject, fairly successfully, and make him the defendant."
They have to reason to change the subject. Starr is so-called "investigation" is a partisan exercise at best, a calculated charade and perjury trap engineered to drive the president from office at worst, and an obvious abuse of power .
Thompson: "I've never seen a prosecutor undergo a tenth of what this office had to undergo in terms of accusations, and digging up stuff through the garbage, and everything in their personal lives in doing everything they can to undermine their activities."
Come on, Fred, you're sounding like a hypocrite again. The investigations of prosecutorial abuse haven't had one tenth of the impact on the public, press, and Department of Justice that illegal leaks and trashy innuendo from the grand jury and the independent counsel's office have had. You should know better than to say something that stupid.
Donaldson then quoted Thompson as saying "the trail had grown cold" as regards his investigations of campaign fund wrongdoing.
Thompson "You have the Justice Department just down the street, there have been things on the public record for a long time now. And were just now seeing some indictments."
No kidding, Fred. The DOJ isn't in the business of rushing to judgment -- they move when they feel they have enough evidence to win and they are going to win against some big republicans as well.
"The glass for me is about half full and half empty... We saw 40, 45 people take the Fifth Amendment or flee the country."
The glass would have been full if you haven't chickened out and gone ahead with a more thorough investigation of your own party. Had you done that, we would have seen 90 to 100 people take the fifth, flee the country, or seek immunity... and you would have had a shot at the GOP presidential nod in the year 2000.
Donaldson asked if Johnny Chung, who was indicted this week on charges of violating campaign fund laws, had any evidence against the president.
Thompson: "I don't know... He and his friends [attended] a radio address for $50,000. I heard on another network that he now admits he got some of his money from certain interests in China. We'll have to see."
Anyone in China - including fortune cookies companies are defined as "certain Chinese interests" Fred. But good try.
Cokie: "Is that what you were talking about, when you're talking about the Chinese connection, his admission or reported admission?"
Thompson: "No... he never acknowledged that to us. He took the Fifth Amendment with us... it became clear in the very beginning of our investigation that our intelligence agencies, our federal investigative agencies, had a substantial amount of information that indicated there was a plan that the Chinese developed in mid-1995 to involve themselves, partially illegally, in our electoral process. They [the intelligence people] briefed members of Congress on it... Our committee concluded there was a plan, it definitely did involve illegalities. And over here, there was a succession of individuals, Chinese Americans, who had close ties is to the administration and also close ties to the Chinese government thoroughly no illegal monies in from the Chinese area. We could not prove that the money was coming from China but the strong circumstantial evidence indicated they were involved in filing some of the money."
What about the rest of the foreign powers in Washington. They can't understand our election laws either. They're a mess and you had a chance to do something about it -- and you didn't.
But, asked Sam, had any evidence turned up that the president had engaged in illegalities? No, said Thompson. Or anything also about the fund raisers, Sam asked? "That's a broad subject. I know he set the operation in into raise $44 million in soft money at the same time he said he wouldn't raise any additional money." I don't think that's quite what he meant, Fred.
George changed the subject to domestic money. "Unsavory people going in and White House, and Indians being shaken down, and Buddhists being taken advantage of." I know, George, none of this would ever happened with lily-white Caucasian contributors like Haley Barbour, Grover Norquist and Mr. Fireman!
"Maybe the conclusion to be made from the report is to de-regulate the system."
Fred: "It got deregulated for us in this last campaign. Then we saw with the Clinton/Gore campaign did. Now Attorney General Janet Reno says it's permissible."
Fred, are you implying that the GOP did everything on the up-and-up? Why do you insist on harping on Clinton and Gore when the Republicans appear to have been even more abusive?
Thompson continued: "This next time, I guess everybody at every level in every race will try to do that. There is no limitation on the unlimited corporate contributions, unlimited labor union or individual contributions. The problem that I have with that, George, is that we decided a long time ago as a Congress, and presumably speaking for the will the people, that we didn't want unlimited amounts of money coming into politicians does... you can go back 17 centuries and people recognize the fact it's not a good idea for people wanting public policy changes to give unlimited amounts of money to policy changers."
Thompson continues to gloss over this issue within the culture of the American political process: namely, the essential nature of television and other media in any political campaign has driven campaign costs sky-high. Neither Thompson's nor Will's positions could reconcile the complexities of this issue.
Will commented on Starr having hired an Illinois law professor named Ronald Rotunda who "believes on the basis of the unanimous Supreme Court decision in the Paula Jones case saying the President can be moved against in a civil trial, that there's no impediment to indicting a sitting president and presumably prosecuting him." Clinton-hater characteristic No. 23: circulate any opinion by a legal authority, no matter how farfetched, that makes the president look bad and bolsters the hopes of Clinton bashers!
Thompson said he had problems bridging a civil case with a criminal case (in fact, he sounded more than a little skeptical, he was almost derisive), and mentioned Rotunda was on the Democratic staff committee during the Watergate hearings (so he must be a balanced and neutral authority - yeah, sure).
Will let another "clobber Clinton" boner fly: "You said that way of executive privilege perhaps being promiscuously invoked [where specifically, George?], with people funding of dirt on their adversaries [you mean the so-called "Arkansas project?"], it may be time for Republicans to get off the sidelines [you mean Trent Lott?]."
Thompson: "...if President Clinton comes along and claims it to shield the American people from information on strictly personal matters he knows eventually after a long delay will get overturned in court, that is trivializing a valid concept. He's going to be weakening the presidency..."
Cokie: "Is the aim delay?"
Thompson: "I think so... Here it doesn't even have anything to do with governmental decision making..."
Thank goodness that ended the segment. Talk about two "neutral" journalists in complicity with an enemy of the president.
The rest of the show was a total snore. Dick Thornburgh and Lloyd Cutler debated the week's developments in StarrGate. There were a couple of good sound bites.
Cutler on the leak of the President's deposition in the Jones civil suit this week: "I think the theories that the leak came out of the White House are just ridiculous. This is just conspiracy theory. I have a conspiracy theory of my own, Sam, and that is that you got to the White House one week before the Monica Lewinsky story broke and you must have known something!"
Ha, ha, haha! Sam vehemently denied this - he looked like he was about to lose his hairpiece!
Thornburgh: "The one that intrigued me was former presidential adviser Dick Morris who speculated it came from the White House as a kind of 'inoculation' against a later, more troublesome, disclosure of the full deposition in the course of the pretrial proceeding."
Thornburgh quoting Morris -- hilarious! Dick Morris should be an expert on inoculation - I'd love to see his medical records.
Cutler: "If Clinton has a conversation with another White House aide about how to respond to a subpoena, or how to deal with Kenneth Starr, it seems to me that is within the scope of executive privilege. Otherwise, you would have Kenneth Starr on the other hand peeking up behind the hands of the poker player on the other side of the table."
Thornburgh on the success of the Independent Counsel statute: "It's a mixed verdict, I think. I oppose the independent counsel statute. Since its inception. I think it really is an abomination. That doesn't rule out the fact that there shouldn't be, from time to time when the occasion demands it, the appointment of someone outside the Department of Justice to handle the investigation."
Cutler on two examples of Starr overstepping his bounds: "One was bringing Hillary Clinton before the grand jury. He didn't have to do that. He was very angry at that point. He was over zealous. He could have taken the deposition in the White House... the second, and more important one if it's true, is that according to our friend Mr. Ginsburg, the signed article he wrote in Time magazine, in the famous 9-hour stake out or whenever we call it at the Ritz-Carlton, the prosecutor, Starr's prosecutors, wanted to wire Monica Lewinsky to center in and this is a direct quote, to listen to the president, to Vernon Jordan, and anyone they wanted her to listen to. No one has ever put a body wire on anybody to go into talk to someone in the White House surreptitiously."
The Roundtable segment regurgitated the undercurrent of Clinton-bashing, especially with regard to the leaked deposition. Refreshingly, George Stephanopoulos actually seemed to stick up for his former boss of couple of times. Predictably, Bill Kristol was an intellectual troglodyte. Here are the few moments that approach interesting:
Cokie: "The leak questions seems to have overtaken the deposition itself... That deposition had the President admitting under oath gifts to Monica Lewinsky and, [with] Gennifer Flowers, yes, in fact, something indeed did happen when he looked into the camera six years ago and said no..."
George Stephanopoulos: "Which I think puts the lie to the idea that the White House leaked it... it probably helps the President a little bit. It shows he avoided any declarative sentences which could make him vulnerable to perjury."
Sam: "someone decided that we needed to get a job for Monica Lewinsky, and no American out there is going to believe that's just a heartfelt view that the President of the United States and staff want to help an intern... The deposition could have been leaked by friends of the president."
Sure Sam. That shows what an outsider you really are. Many presidents help interns all the time. You know, they really are just human beings - despite people like you who seek to canonize your heros and crucify your enemies.
George Stephanopoulos: "The problem with that, Sam, is that witnesses don't really need that. The lawyers do it all the time!"
Bill: "I think the big story will be that the Jones defense team will release their response to the President's attempt to get the whole case dismissed by Friday or on Friday."
... And hopefully get their butts kicked, though we doubt Judge Wright will do that.
George Will: "What happened in the last week or two, this case merged with an aspect of the larger culture, that's the celebration on victimhood. Everyone wants to be a victim. It's lucrative under the law."
Sam: "The thing that surprised me is what Trent Lott did this week, he called on Starr to end it. I think he sort of said, George, Starr has to put up or shut up at some point. This has been going on publicly for 60 days. If Mr. Lott meant in 60 days, we should end this pursuit of where the true lies."
Cokie: "I think the polls are diving an awful lot of people."
You got it backwards, honey, the people are driving the polls, and the GOP is running scared.
Bill: "Tucker Carlson, who is a friend of mine [we're really shocked to learn this -- NOT!], asked Mike McCurry, the press secretary, who has been saying, 'I don't want to know,' 'Don't you want the truth?' And McCurry said 'No, no, no I really don't want it.'... In a sense, the American people said know we don't want to know the truth."
Cokie: " If Betty Currie gets blamed by the president for this activity here ..."
Jeez, Cokie, you sound like a real feminist. The problem is, you are sounding like the Susan Carpenter McBimbo variety -- defend women only if it is at the expense of Clinton!
A few comments on other topics:
George Will on Puerto Rico: "The idea that, without any national debate we should slide this problematic Quebec into our union is alarming." Problematic Quebec -- outrageous, but even we have to admit it's clever!
Sam on Puerto Rican statehood being such a pressing issue: "Tax reform what have been the thing to do this year. Of course its always an election year, or next year is election year." Smooth transition, Sam!
George: "Republicans are, three years after they came into town, breathing fire and spouting the tenth amendment!"
George Will: "That's right, one of the great dead letters in American constitutional law. In fact, the Republicans, now believing nothing, believe in the polls." Translation: the extreme right wing of the GOP has failed to devolve the federal government as they promised to.
Wrong as usual, George, there was never widespread support for this sort of devolution anyway.
The final segment was a slam at the leadership of the National Organization for Women. They replayed part of an appearance by Patricia Ireland from a previous This Week saying "sexual harassment is unwanted sexual attention and if the President had a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky, it was consensual." Sam Donaldson claimed that ABC was flooded with outraged phone calls and letters, following it up with comments by one Marie-Jose Ragab, president of the NOW Dulles, Virginia chapter.
Frankly Ragab's opinions sounded like those of Cokie and so-called "right-wing feminists" - judging from their geographical location, we wouldn't be surprised if they were all evangelicals hooked into the Robertson-Falwell network. And, of course, there was no mention of the fact that Patricia Ireland herself attempted to get a hold of Jones within a day of her identity becoming public as the alleged target of an advance by then-Governor Clinton.
Ireland knew that Jones was already getting help - from what turned out to be right-wing Clinton-haters.
In terms of intelligent discussion, objectivity, and informative content, Sam, Cokie, and the gang scored well below their usual zero this week.
C'mon, ABC, downsize the whole bunch.
Except Steph. He's beginning to sound like a human again.
- The Editors
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", a client, a friend, and one of the keenest minds in American politics, told me one afternoon: 'A good place to begin thinking critically about American and Western European democracies to ask yourself: What kind of man or woman would choose to run for public office? Think about that.' - I did."
- Eliot Janeway ,1991 New York
From an Introduction to JK's essay and speech, "Washington - The New American Babylon"
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