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This Week

"Good news from the Balkans," said Sam Donaldson as he reported the freeing of the three American soldiers by Milosevic and Yugoslavia. And unlike Fox, ABC had footage of the soldiers -- thanking America for their prayers and even their Serb captors who they said treated them well.

And Jesse Jackson was guest one. He first thanked the ecumenical religious leaders in Yugoslavia. He talked of discussions with Milosevic, and the possibility that holding "trophy" prisoners could intensify violence, while releasing them could act as a catalyst to negotiations. "While their release is unconditional," it is linked to breaking the cycle of violence in Kosovo.

Sam asked Jackson if this might not be looked at as a "cynical" gesture, and Jackson mentioned that Milosevic writing a letter to President Clinton offering to talk is a positive development. It was almost as if Sam was trying to sow mistrust -- and make Clinton look like the bad guy by supporting any type of diplomacy.

Cokie asked if Jackson brought up other topics -- such as ethnic cleansing. Jackson said that "If we want clarity, we have to talk it out.... If we agree to stop the violence [and if they] return the refugees with dignity..." then that is a victory.

Jesse, talking to Cokie, ended by saying "Give Sam my very highest regards!" We couldn't help laughing out loud at that one!

Spots: GE.

Sam began the next segment with footage of protests against the NRA yesterday in Denver, then introduced Deputy Attorney general Eric Holder.

Holder started by describing how easy it is for troubled kids to get guns. Sam talked about Charlton Heston's "camel's nose under the tent" comment, to which Holder replied that there is plenty of "legitimate access to guns for those who use them for legitimate purposes."

In response to Cokie parroting the NRA line that gun laws are not enforced, Holder correctly pointed out that most of these are state, not federal, prosecutions. he also cited a decline in the crime rate and the relatively small number of school incidents involving guns. Should parents be held responsible, asked Cokie? Holder said it is an area that should be explored.

In response to a trivia question by George Will, Holder pointed out that 70% of homicides are committed with guns. Will brought up a claim in one study that crime declined in states with concealed gun laws -- "it correlates." Holder said that he had not seen the study. He did add that gun control legislation would cut into crime. Sam took a Daschle quote out of context (supposedly saying that he was not sure about gun control regulations) and Holder nailed him on it.

Sam: "...pretty soon, people who have the right to bear arms under the second amendment won't have that right."

Holder: "I'm not sure the second amendment says that." Good going, Eric -- the NRA misinterprets the Constitution with impunity, and it's good to hear someone debunking their spin! And Sam asked him about this point in a follow-up. Holder brought up the "well-regulated militia" wording -- but did not say enough about this.

Right-wingers keep flogging this issue -- that the people have a right to organize and arm themselves against tyranny, a misinterpretation of this amendment used by militia groups. Holder should have nailed Sam and the gun nuts by putting the amendment in proper perspective -- that "well-regulated" means local or federal government sanction and control, and that it did not apply to hunting weapons, a separate issue altogether!

Will asked Holder about a report that in 1997 there was a request by the FBI to investigate Lee and that it was turned down. Holder said that it was not clear the he was even Deputy AG at that time or that he had even seen the request.

We predict that this story is going to get very interesting -- and at the expense of Senator Shelby's committee and those who may have circulated this story with malicious intent.

Cokie then welcomed NRA president Charlton Heston, and began with a clip of President Clinton being critical of Heston's NRA. Heston fell back on his "Let them come to Moses" rhetoric.

He cited "2000 laws which regulate guns" -- but we would point out that there are more federal laws that govern automobiles or drugs than guns!

Heston said the NRA was in favor of spot checks on sales at gun shows a so long as the Government did not gather statistics -- "that smacks of tyranny."

Well, then, we suppose that applying for a driver's license smacks of tyranny too.

Heston was shameless in his support of deregulation of guns, and even Sam took him to task on gun control laws that do good. Heston said that he was not interested in the 250,000 felons that were denied guns as Clinton pointed out in a Rose Garden speech -- he is interested in seeing them in prison.

Oh. We see. Guilty until proven innocent! Heston sounded like an even bigger fascist that NRA "eminence grease" Wayne LaPierre.

Heston actually got two segments! Following spots for Price Waterhouse, Dell, GE, the old gasbag talked a lot of nonsense about the logistics of safety locks, when Will asked about banning big ammo magazines. Catch this: Heston said "The size of the magazine has no relation to the size of the crime."

Didn't the Columbine gunmen use massive magazines, Charlie? What a superb hypocrite you are!

Will asked Heston about -- of all things -- "partial birth" abortion! Will tried to put it in a "slippery slope" context, but it sounded silly. Heston went on a rant about "dictators [who] began their rule by confiscating guns" -- the same, old, tired argument gun nuts have used for half a century as thousands of Americans get killed with ease.

Heston said he might consider supporting age restrictions on guns "though I'm not happy about it."

Will asked about (i.e.) blamed Hollywood, bringing up smoking in movies before he talked about guns. Heston sounded goofy when he talked about getting wounded when he made movies, and now people's heads get blown off.

Well, Charlie, maybe people's heads get blown off because nowadays it's easy to do so with the proliferation of easy-to-get, high-powered guns. Heston whined about movies "cross[ing] the line" in language and sex, sounding like a Kristol-esque moralist.

Both segments amounted to a commercial for the NRA -- and a complete waste of time, since Sam, Cokie and George gave Heston a pass on everything. There were few follow-up questions, and those few were all softballs.

Spots preceding the roundtable; GE, Sears, ABC shows.

Topic one of the roundtable: the Columbine massacre. Cokie made much of Hollywood and video games, showing a clip from the video game DOOM. "You get pretty good at shooting people if you play this game."

What a crock of pap -- the interface is a mouse, NOT a pistol!!

Kristol whined about good and evil, but Sam said that the President was right about gun control! "This is one time I buy Clinton's little phrase..." He couldn't resist getting in a dig. George Stephanopoulos: "We ban kids from buying Penthouse, why not ban them from buying these games?"

Because most of them are downloading them from FTP sites, George! The This Weak panel is clueless on new technology -- which is why they spend so much time fretting about television and movies, where they sound only slightly less foolish. Anyone think the 'Net itself might be a threat to their livelihoods? One can only hope so.

Cokie brought up poll numbers which supposedly show Al Gore running behind Bush Baby and Liddy Dole and not having the support of women -- but this issue could play to Gore's favor. Kristol joined the born-again Evangelicals talking about Cassie Bernall, who Kristol claimed was killed for saying she believed in God.

Believe us -- if she hadn't been Christian, the two gunmen would have found another excuse to execute her! Being a jock, a minority, a cheerleader, or a member of the "A&F Army" clique -- take your pick. These kids were killed because Harris and Klebold found excuses to hate -- and kill -- them.

The talk of Kosovo and Yugoslavia was a predictable snore -- even more boring than Fox News Sunday. The fact is, Jackson threw a wild card into the equation -- and many of the roundtable's prepared "spontaneous" comments had to be thrown out the window -- up until Kristol called Jesse Jackson's behavior "outrageous... he likes going to see dictators around the world." And Will added "Kristol is right... no modern farce is complete without an appearance by Jesse Jackson."

The gratuitous Jackson-bashing exposed both Will and Kristol for the amoral fascists that they are -- Jackson has wrung a compromise out of their hard-right soulmate Milosevic (whose hold over Yugoslavia may well be slipping, judging from what little unfiltered news has emerged from Belgrade), and Will and Kristol resent Jackson for his success. In fact, we can imagine these two grousing in private about the "uppity" Jackson and showing their true colors as outspoken members of America's loudest minority, rich White guys -- "the nerve of that Negro, helping retrieve our men in uniform!"

The program ended with footage of the three released American soldiers leaving a plane at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. We were gratified not only to see it, but to know it must have really pissed off Kristol and Will.

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Face the Nation

The program was interrupted a couple of times due to the live broadcast of the arrival of the three POW's in Germany, who had been released to Rev. Jesse Jackson on Sunday morning. Bob Schieffer quoted Rev. Jackson who called their release 'a gesture and a moment of hope' and who suggested a pause in the NATO bombings.

The first guest was Deputy Secretary of State, Strobe Talbott, who was just back from Moscow. Schieffer asked him about the letter Milosevic sent to President Clinton, through Mr. Jackson, that calls, among other things, for a personal meeting with the President, for stopping the bombing, he says he will let the Albanians return under UN auspices and he demands the withdrawal of the NATO forces. 'Do you see anything there that gives you any hope that this thing can be resolved?'

Talbott said that everyone in the Administration is delighted by the release of the three servicemen and that now once again the focus can be on another homecoming, the homecoming of well more than a million Albanians who have been forced out of their homes and are either starving up in the hills of Kosovo or living in extremely tough conditions in the refugee camps. As for the contents of the letter, he hasn't seen it yet but it sounds very much like a PR stunt on Milosevic's part, who knows what he can do to end this conflict right away. And that is meet the conditions that NATO has laid out: the refugees have to come home in the circumstances just described, and that is going to be possible only if he pulls his forces out of Kosovo and an international force with NATO at its core goes in.

Schieffer asked if the President will stop the bombing.

Talbott: 'The President will stop the bombing, along with the other leaders of the alliance, if Milosevic accepts the conditions that have been laid out. Period. Period.' He doubts that the President will meet with Milosevic.

Gloria Borger asked him why Milosevic released the POWs. To embarrass the President? Or is this a sign that maybe he's getting a little nervous?

Talbott doesn't know. The release of the three servicemen is a welcomed development and whether it is part of a promising trend depends on what happens next. Meanwhile the air strikes are going to continue and will intensify.

Gloria asked whether the U.S. or NATO should respond with some kind of return gesture to Mr. Milosevic, as some have suggested.

Talbott: 'Bad idea. Milosevic is an absolute master manipulator.' The so-called 'deal' Milosevic said he might be willing to accept is a complete non-starter. 'The conditions for stopping the bombing and getting on to a fulltime diplomatic track are the ones that have been laid out by the alliance.'

Gloria asked him whether the Russians are willing to be part of a peacekeeping force to escort the refugees back into Kosovo. Talbott believes that yes, they want to be part of the diplomatic solution and he believes this would be in the broader interest, as long as it meets the bottom line conditions that have been established by NATO. He brought up two categories of things to think about: 1) What must happen -- the NATO conditions. And, 2) What can happen -- the involvement of the UN, the involvement of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the involvement of the Russians. 'It is imaginable that you could have both... but we have to concentrate on what must happen.'

Gloria: 'Does it matter to Russians whether they are part of a NATO force or a UN force? Talbott said they want to be under the UN.

Gloria: 'Would that be OK with you?'

Talbott said yes, in principle. We have good precedent there in Bosnia where there are Russian forces serving side by side with NATO forces today. The actual modalities for Kosovo can be discussed as long as there will be NATO at the core and they will have NATO command and control.

Schieffer asked him more about Milosevic's PR stunt. Will this freelance diplomacy by Rev. Jackson be a plus or a minus? Talbott said he wouldn't characterize it as a freelance diplomacy. Rev. Jackson had one objective above all others, and that was to get the three servicemen out. And he succeeded in that. 'By the way, when Sandy Berger talked to [Rev. Jackson] before he left, he pointed out that there were real dangers here, including the danger of appearing to engage in freelance diplomacy. But he also wished him Godspeed on getting the three servicemen out. So, he succeeded in that.'

Schieffer: 'Well, in truth, the Administration would have preferred that he not go because, as I understand it, Mr. Berger told him this was a bad idea.'

Talbott: 'I just accurately characterized the conversation... The U.S. is not negotiating with Mr. Milosevic right now. We are bombing Mr. Milosevic and his regime and military targets. We are also talking to others who are having diplomatic contacts with Milosevic, including the Russians. And the issue there is to see if we can align what must happen with what can happen.'

One commercial: First Union.

The second guest was Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) who is on the Armed Services Committee, who was a POW for five years, and who is a candidate for the Republican GOP nod. Schieffer asked him what his reaction was to all of this and to this diplomacy, as it were, by Jesse Jackson.

McCain said of course all Americans are delighted with the safe return of the soldiers and are very proud of them. And he is grateful to Rev. Jackson for achieving that. He doesn't approve of freelance diplomacy but said one cannot argue with the results of it. He hopes no American has any doubt that Milosevic has not become a boy scout. If he were, he would have stopped this ethnic cleansing and the greatest atrocities we've seen in Europe since World War II, and he would respect the rights of those citizens and agree to our legitimate demands. Sen. McCain has no doubt that Milosevic did this because he seeks political advantage and that Milosevic believes 'this will aid him in his effort to continue to win this war, which he is winning.'

Schieffer asked him if this is going to be a plus or a minus in bringing this to some sort of conclusion.

McCain doesn't know. He is delighted the servicemen are home and he is grateful for Rev. Jackson's efforts 'but Mr. Milosevic remains a Balkan thug who is willing to do whatever is necessary, including the slaughter, rape and ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of people. And if Mr. Milosevic wants to improve his image, he can start to return these people to their homes and their communities.'

Gloria asked him about the resolution he will be asking the Senate to vote on on Monday, which will give the President blanket authority to conduct this war. 'Yet, members of your own party, leaders of the Republican leadership are opposing you on this. Why?'

McCain: 'As well as Democrat leaders. I find myself in the curious position of trying to support the institution of the Presidency without the support of the President of the Unites States... [who] should be seeking every senator to vote in favor because it is his authority and his responsibility to do whatever is necessary to win this war. And if members of the Senate and the House are in opposition, then they should vote to cut off funding.... For us to condition our support, in my view is a gross violation of the constitutional authority of the President of the United States. This is one of the most curious situations that I have ever seen in the Congress of the United States.'

Schieffer asked Sen. McCain to tell him a little more about the fact that we are not hearing the Administration trying to push this or the President on the phone asking people to get behind him on this.

McCain said that the President sent a letter saying that he would agree to go back to Congress if he decided to use ground troops. Democrat leader Tom Dashle said they are not ready to vote on this. 'After 40 days of bombing and the deaths of thousands of innocent people, we are not ready to vote on this? It is because, in my view... people are not willing to take a political risk on this issue when we've got American young people risking their lives.'

The end of the show (including the Columbine shootings, gun control, Democrat Sen. Schumer, presidential contender Dan Quayle, and Schieffer's last word on 'good kids') was canned by the live report from Germany. They showed Sargent Gonzales' mother for a few seconds, and also earlier one of the POW's who, if we understood him correctly, said 'they treated us so kindly that it seemed a little unfair that we were leaving the environment [and] they were left to deal with this conflict. It's sad that this is happening and we pray for peace.'

Schieffer asked Sen. McCain how he thinks the released servicemen must be feeling. McCain said it is a remarkable moment for them and their families. 'It's also significant how Americans feel about our individual Americans and our citizens. The care and love we extend to these young people, in many ways, is unique to the U.S.'

What? Isn't this a bit arrogant? As if other countries don't care about their citizens? Please.

Mark Phillips, CBS news correspondent in Ramstein, Germany, reported on the process of repatriation of the three released servicemen and the brief ceremony for their arrival.

John Roberts, in Belgrade, commented on how, outside of the delegation, not many people expected that Milosevic would release the prisoners because he always held the hard line that they would stay in captivity until the bombing stopped. But Rev. Jackson somehow managed to convince them that there was no political capital in keeping them in captivity and that perhaps a gesture of allowing them to go free may open some sort of diplomatic channel.

Schieffer asked White House CBS correspondent Scott Pelley how this is being viewed there. Pelley said that the President released a statement on Sunday morning saying that he is grateful to Rev. Jackson and that he, the President, anticipates the safe return of the POWs back to the U.S. But the President also said that we must remain mindful of a million Kosovar Albanians who are not going home this morning. The President said there will be no compromise on any of the demands that the U.S. and NATO are making of Milosevic, that the bombing campaign will not end. Rev. Jackson had asked for a 24-hour suspension of the bombing campaign to coincide with the release of the POWs, but senior Administration officials said that that idea wasn't even discussed in any serious way and one Administration official said that, if anything, the bombing campaign will be intensified.

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The McLaughlin Group

Arianna Huffington joined the "Group" this week -- and it was a great improvement. Too bad she has to fly to Washington, leaving her two beautiful daughters home, simply to sit with goofball John McLaughlin and make him "look good. " Arianna, our publisher's favorite FemiNeo-NaziEtte, added some spark to the otherwise usually dull panel.

Of course, the talk was of Kosovo, Serbia and Milosevic.

"Give Negotiation a Chance!" screamed the demented McLaughlin after the first mandatory General Electric commercialthon.

He explained the way a negotiated settlement might work -- showing clips of Trent Lott saying that the force that might keep the peace does not necessarily have to include a U.S. component. John doesn't mention that the GOP Congress, of course, has metamophosed into a group of Doves merely to embarrass the President for the "Summer Season. "

McLaughlin said he thinks Milosevic will yield to armed troops in Kosovo.

Eleanor Clift, who looked sloppy next to Arianna, said she wants to make sure that Serbian troops are not allowed to stay in Kosovo.

Arianna claims that the original negotiation carried on by Ambassador Holbrooke was a "set-up" that the Administration knew Milosevic would never buy -- especially the section that called for Kosovars to vote on autonomy.

Clift said we should wait to shed tears for Milosevic for "being set up" -- he is a murderer and worse.

But Arianna got the best of Clift, although we disagree with Ari-mou's characterization ourselves. We think that the negotiations were not a set up, but a Hobson's choice for Milosevic: Either put up with NATO resolve or get bombed into oblivion.

Arianna also pointed out that one big problem is how many Kosovars will die while we are waiting for a peace. We couldn't agree more.

Either way, Kosovo will be a success for the Clinton Administration, but the GOP hacks on the panel -- including Tony Blankley, who is even fatter this week than last -- showed their hands: they will call any deal a loss for the US.

Arianna said the congressional vote will bring Milosevic to the table, but Clift snapped back that the vote is a joke and that the Senate will not approve it.

We agree -- and we loved the half-hour long cat fight between Eleanor and Arianna! Meeeeeee-OW!

McLaughlin went rambling on about problems within NATO -- much as he's done for the past three weeks. He tiresomely ranted on and on, naming every NATO country and her 25 sub-allies like Switzerland. He called the new entries and the sub-members a bloating plan so radical that the Senate may have to ratify the NATO treaty again.

Is that a hint to Lott to cause more trouble, or just a stupid remark?

Blankley agreed with McLaughlin. Larry O'Donnell called it a bluff. Clift shouted, but Arianna got her piece hitting on air wars in over Clift, who then made her point that NATO federalism will slow down.

Blankley, looking more like a half-human version of Star Wars' Jabba the Hutt than ever, called the new NATO "International Socialism. " Who feeds him this material? Pat Buchanan? The John Birch Society? GE?

Predictions were next after another GE sellathon -- all forgettable

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Meet the Press

Russert opened with Jesse Jackson's engineered release of the three captured U.S. servicemen. Naturally, he moved on in his introduction to the show to the national debate over violence and the Columbine shootings. His guest would be Dr. David Satcher -- the first time we've seen him since he was appointed! "Can we stop kids killing kids," Russert whined.

Russert first spoke to Jackson and played Serb state videotape of the release. Russert asked if President Clinton should meet face to face with Milosevic.

What a laugh -- yeah, Tim, we can just see it now: the President of the United States negotiating with the 21st Century Hitler.

Jackson must have lost his mind when he said "Clinton and Milosevic would understand each other." We assume the President is fuming.

Russert asked Jackson is Milosevic is using him. Jackson said, "Well, if we were used to get these men out, that's okay."

We agree, but we wonder if Jackson will keep flying back and forth rescuing downstream captures.

Russert asked Jackson this moronic question: "With your success, will you now run for President." Jackson didn't laugh in his face, but he should have.

Secretary of Defense William Cohen was next. He said the chances of Clinton meeting with Milosevic were "unlikely."

That was an understatement! Cohen kept verbally hitting Milosevic and told Russert NATO would increase the bombing now.

Trick or Treat on Milosevic! His ploy didn't work. Jackson got our men, and now we'll begin carpet bombing. The message: "Don't mess with Bill."

Russert turned to General Ralston and asked whether the Joint Chiefs recommended a bombing campaign. Ralston said yes -- and emphatically added it is the right thing to do. Russert kept pushing him asking about ground troops again.

My God, who the hell is Russert to second guess the Pentagon? Of course, he did it only to humiliate the President.

Russert pointed out that Milosevic has told the UPI he has moved 100,000 troops into Kosovo. He read a statement by Milosevic claiming that the NATO non-use of ground troops was a gross miscalculation.

General Ralston said that it is Milosevic who has miscalculated -- NATO is isolating him politically, economically and militarily. That is why he fired his Secretary of Defense -- for saying that Milosevic was leading Serbia down the road to ruin.

We're proud of General Ralston for sticking up for his and the President's strategy to not risk out boys in a ground war.

Russert told Cohen that the GOP in the House voted to support the troops but not the President, again attempting to humiliate Cohen and Clinton. Cohen didn't bite -- instead he said to look at the vote to increase the supplemental appropriation to continue the bombing. That will pass -- and that will be the real attitude of the Congress!

Russert said he is worried that we are running out of weapons. Ralston said that we are ready to wage two theater wars -- we are waging one now. Russert pushed on the weapons shortage. Ralston said we have enough for months and years.

Poor Tim. He just couldn't make his stupid points this day! Cohen added that he has tripled production rates of smart, all-weather weapons.

Russert than tried to humiliate the President again, this time reading the statement of the President that he was not aware that the Chinese were stealing secrets from the US. "Did the President mislead the American people -- again?"

What a laughable ploy -- in fact, we did laugh! Tim thinks his viewers are fools. They are not. No President would comment on an ongoing investigation, potentially one leading to arrests. And Russert knows it.

Don Nickles, former janitor turned Senator, would be up next to bash Clinton.

After Meet the Press's mandatory ADM commercials -- this time featuring Shimon Perez, of all people -- Russert turned to Nickles.

He asked Don the Janitor whether we should try to find a compromise. Nickles said yes, claiming this war has been a disaster (it has been -- for hard-righters like the Janitor). We need a simultaneously withdrawal of Serb forces and entry of NATO troops, he claimed. Senator Dodd spoke for the White House. "The bad news is that 7,000 Kosovars were thrown out of their homes." Dodd laughed in Russert's face when he suggested that the President meet with Milosevic. Dodd asked Russert why the President of the United States should meet with a war criminal.

Senator McCain will offer a bill to support ground troops tomorrow, said Russert, and the semi-intelligent Janitor Don said he would not support that bill -- but for the wrong reason. The President has not asked for ground troops, he claimed, nor to our knowledge asked for McCain's support to set up for them.

"Our military calls it war, the President calls it a campaign," snorted Nickels. Dodd is a co-sponsor of the McCain bill. He said that the scene in the House among the GOP while our men were in the air was a disgrace.

We agree, but what do you expect? The GOP cares nothing about those boys, but only about forcing the President to resign or to at least make him look like a fool. The GOP agenda to demoralize the President, to humiliate him and his family -- at any price -- had not ceased. The Ken-Starring of America continues.

And Tim Russert is perpetuating it. He added at this point that the war and possibly rebuilding Serbia will cost $40 billion dollars. "Can we afford this?" he asks.

Russert then made mention of the idiotic New York Times articles about Chinese espionage. Don the Janitor said thinks this is the most serious breach in history. Yet we don't see him blaming the Senate and House Committees who have oversight on these security issues. What a hypocrite he is. He claims this is an egregious lack of action by Sandy Berger and the President.

Russert brought up the President's remark that this didn't start on his watch. Dodd was critical that no action was taken for so long. Dodd said he thinks this should include firing some people -- the target being Sandy Berger.

Nickles accused Berger asking "Did he tell the President or not."

Berger should be on notice -- particularly in light of Dodd's comments. His days are numbered unless he can give a very good reason why he did not take action if he did not, as he claims, inform the President of the security breach.

Russert welcomed General Satcher and played a clip of Joe Lieberman -- arch-traitor to the White House -- calling for the Surgeon General to make a report on violence in the media.

General Satcher replies we should look at the old reports on the same issue. He said we should look at what kind of children look at violence and then commit it. We say yes -- find the nuts and institutionalize them if need be. Satcher rightfully pointed out that a least a dozen children die from violence every day in the country, so we shouldn't get so excited about a single incident that happens to occur in a white middle class area. Okay, he didn't say those exact words, but this was the implication. He will be in trouble for that one.

Sam Brownback, who is dumber than a loon, showed a bunch of violent ads to prove that we have an "eco-culture" tainted with violence. He wants to shame the entertainment industry -- much as Joe McCarthy did in the 50's.

Good plan, Sam -- keep it up.

Russert then welcomed Steve Case, chairman of rip-off online service AOL. Case claimed that his parental controls block access to the pornography and violence. Of course, this is ludicrous and any kid can defeat these filters with only a modicum of understanding about how AOL works. As an AOL user, I can tell you that the only e-mail I get on that server is pornographic and of the most graphic kind -- from which Case and his company make a bundle. The same goes for violent video game advertisements.

Brownback attacked Nintendo for its shoot-'em-up games -- that the Pentagon uses (unbelievably) to train the military. Of course, Brownback is either a moron or doesn't have a clue. The Pentagon uses these games to train men and women with dexterity -- not to aim missiles!!!

The entire discussion was a joke. Of the 70 million kids in the nation, a few are insane. That is the only relevant fact here here, and anyone with half a brain knows this.

It is the social pathology of racism, hatred and the "getting you before you get me" mentality that causes these lunatics -- many of whom are marginalized, insulted and discriminated against by fellow students, teachers and their communities -- to go over the edge. It is the ultra-right wing of the GOP and the Religious Right that have created this pathology of hate and intolerance in America. We don't think some of them knew they were doing it, but they did nonetheless. They made violence and insensitivity in America, and now they must lay off and begin to admit the damage they have done.

Brownback, of course, defended the gun lobby. He wants it both ways. It is not a culture of violence, it is a mini-culture of hatred for anything not Christian, White and Republican created by men like Brownback, Lott, Hyde, Gingrich and now Speaker Hastert.

Russert, who knows his days of earning million a year on television are nearly over because of the Internet, keeps arguing about what a nightmare it is. He asked Steve Case how the parents can become more aware of the Internet. Case said have the kids show the parents what they are doing. He then goes to his own commercial for AOL talking about how much it helps for parents to filter what their kids see.

Brownback is going to hold hearings -- because he has to. Nothing will come from them except a big bill for the taxpayers. "Let the tears of Littleton stain us," he remarked, calling on America to "clean up the culture. "

Russert then attacked the game DOOM head on, showing a gruesome clip for the game where some monster gets killed. Some moron on the panel said any parent who buys their kids a DOOM game is a criminal. Hilarious! My son had it, and he's a honor student who cried when he saw me kill a potato bug one day.

The nuts are back.

Vote on Tim Russert:

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