American Politics Journal -- Pundit Pap

Pundit Pap
for Sunday, June 2
The Heat Is On
911gate, India-Pakistan friction (no thanks to Smirk) top Pundit talk
by The Pundit Pap Team

June 2, 2002 -- New York/Washington (APJP, updated June 2, 11:55PM) -- The fallout from the Phoenix and Minneapolis memos -- and a few new revelations -- reverberated this Sunday among the Anointed Gasbag Class. Naturally, the press is helping Karl Rove shift the blame away from Condi Rice, DOD, the NSA and CIA and put it squarely on the FBI and Robert Mueller, who had only been FBI Director for a matter of days before Al Qaeda attacked New York and Washington.

What amazes us is that there was no talk whatsoever of his predecessor, the politically-motivated Louis Freeh, whose tenure at the FBI was notorious for a focus on a handful of high-profile, nightly-news-friendly cases, a failure to embrace information technology (Freeh would not upgrade 386 PCs and refused to use e-mail), and greater interest in political gamesmanship than law enforcement. The matter got passing mention during CNN's morning news program when the underutilized Fredericka Whitfield interviewed Ron Kessler, author of The Bureau.

We doubt we'll be seeing him anytime soon on Meet the Press.

Here's what we did catch...

ABC This Leak
Ass-KKKroft on the hot seat

Our favorite American religious extremist, "injustice minister" John Ashcroft (or, as we like to call him, Ass-KKKroft) was guest one on This Leak.

Before the interview began, Cokie Roberts reported that Newsweek is running an explosive story: the CIA had the names of two of the Al Qaeda hijackers and did not give them to the FBI (http://www.msnbc.com/news/760647.asp).

Sam Donaldson immediately asked Ashcroft about the article. Ashcroft said he had not "digested" the article (translation: "Gimme a break already, Sam, I haven't had time to have my people formulate a spin here!"), but instead tried giving a slick answer to the effect of "We are learning in this process" and Mueller is in the process of "overhauling" and changing the mission" of the FBI.

But Sam pressed on, asking the sullen-looking Ashcroft about the Phoenix and Minneapolis memos -- are there, he asked, more such "clues" that will come out? Ashcroft said he simply did not know, and a centralized apparatus to deal with information from over ten thousand agents and hundreds of offices worldwide is needed.

Ashcroft's non-answers were an effort to put up cover for the FBI -- and the aforementioned Mr. Freeh, whose gross negligence is a hugely understated factor in the agency's failures. But then, it wouldn't behoove Ashcroft to point any accusing fingers at a former FBI director reputed to be a loyal Clinton-hating, democrat-bashing foot soldier.

Sam then quoted Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-House Mangler), who appeared yesterday on CNN and slammed the new powers the FBI is seeking (no doubt an appeal to his paranoid, big-government-hating, white militia constituency). Ashcroft said that "it has nothing to do with the Constitution" (translation: "I am the law, and screw the Constitution"), and it's just plain time to update the rules on spying. In a laughable moment, Ashcroft said that "liberal" justices such as Lawrence Tribe are "supportive" of these new rules.

What a riot! Ass-KKKroft, hypocrite that he is, is so glad to use "liberal" jurists when it is convenient for him. And the emerging war between right-wing religious moralist Ashcroft and libertarian nut-case Sensenbrenner should be an amusing Republican mini-meltdown.

And Sam, seeing an opening the size of Lynchburg, fired back, saying that Sensenbrenner is warning of a retreat to the bad old days in which the FBI trampled on the rights of Americans; Ashcroft said that legislation in place prohibits the FBI from intimidating citizens and forbids certain record-keeping, and that safeguards already exist.

Oh, yeah, Ass-KKKroft. Safeguards that you and your neo-theocrat buddies will find ways to quietly and easily circumvent.

Sam decided to subtly depict Jaaay-zus John a religious bigot by focusing on the possibility that the FBI may be spying on mosques and houses of worship, which forced Ashcroft to retreat to talking about "community policing" (i.e. mostly paranoid, right-wing citizen groups more than willing to get the FBI to intimidate anyone to the left of Paul Wolfowitz).

Sam then discussed the Wall Street Journal editorial calling for Mueller's resignation; Ashcroft did say that there has been a change in the FBI's culture and more change in structure and management is in the works. He did let go a little tidbit of which we were not aware: as an agent, Mueller was once shot in the line of duty. Ashcroft said that the top goal is to improve the agency's analytic skills.

But again, there was no mention of Mueller's direct predecessor, Louis Freeh, to beef up the technology needed for thorough analysis.

Sam pressed him instead on bureaucratic blunders, mentioning Coleen Rowley's letter that was highly critical of the bureau and Mueller himself, and segued to Sens. Patrick Leahy and Charles Grassley calling for a guarantee that she will not be a victim of retaliation.

Here is where Ashcroft did some of the most transparent and obvious weasel-wording we've seen in months on pundit TV: he first said Mueller had publicly thanked and commended Rowley, adding that "she is not to be fired."

So, asked Sam again, there will be no retaliation? Ashcroft again said she won't be dismissed.

Not fired, not dismissed. Translation: we have not ruled out demotion, transfer to some ugly backwater, harassment, or other retaliation for daring to expose the systemic rot Freeh helped fester in the agency. How dare that mere woman embarrass us! Oh, no, she won't be fired, we'll just make her work experience a living hell.

Sam then invoked the name of Freeh, who had been warned there would be terrorist strikes -- and stated that Ashcroft had turned down a request for an additional $50 million in counterterrorism funding (he should have added that Ashcroft seemed more interested in online kiddy porn than genocidal terrorists). Ashcroft claimed that the New York Times article in which this information was discussed misrepresented the process.

Huh? How? Specifics, John, specifics!

Ashcroft went on to talk about thousands having died, and that it's time to get into the prevention business.

Oh, come on. It was time to get into the prevention years ago -- but your boy Freeh dropped the ball. Now, the families of over 3000 people are paying the price.

Sam finally put Ashcroft in a corner: so you really couldn't have stopped September 11th? Ashcroft could only talk about a "changed mission" -- and claimed the information they had could not have been enough to stop it.

We don't believe Ashcroft. In fact, we hope Graham and the Intelligence Committees call both Ashcroft and Freeh and get some straight answers.

Will the new FBI guidelines do any good? Cokie welcomed the first of two guests, Sen. Charles Grassley. Was Grassley aware that a request for additional cash for antiterrorism was turned down? Grassley was not sure -- and said the resources would be there. Cokie cited the Wall Street Journal editorial (as if anyone with half a brain cares one bit about what Robert Bartley and his gang of opinion thugs says); Grassley said that he did not expect the new director to know what was going on, and those who failed to brief him should be fired. Cokie turned to the Rowley memo; Grassley said he is disappointed that Ashcroft said she would "not be dismissed" and that some whistle-blowers are harassed with crappy jobs -- Grassley wants a guarantee that she won't suffer retaliation. Grassley also wants answers on who knew what, who stonewalled, and why the best of the best in the FBI are prevented from doing their job. If there is an emphasis on preventing terrorism and the tools to do the job, they'll do it, but it requires a "tighter leash": greater oversight, and assurances that the FBI will not go too far in their mission.

For a Republican loyalist, Grassley sounded surprisingly balanced and sane. Keep an eye on him -- he has a reputation as an astute political gamesman, and he's been a consistent B-lister on the Sunday and cable news pundit circuit who now looks to be positioning himself for a higher profile.

Cokie then welcomed Terry Lenzner, private investigator extraordinaire. Lenzner said the proposed changes to FBI spying rules will help and are a great step. Lenzner seconded Grassley's sentiment that Rowley could be the target of bureaucratic retaliation. Lenzner talked a bit about the methodology of the new FBI guidelines, but recommends that the FBI be told that if they have a specific terrorist warning, they use subpoena power to get telephone, bank and credit card records. Had they gotten Moussaoui's hard drive and Mohammad Atta's phone records, Lenzner said, the FBI could have significantly disrupted if not stopped the 9/11 operation. There also has to be cooperation between the FBI and financial and communications businesses.

The next segment was a look at the India-Pakistan mess, with the remarkably gravitas-free George Stephanopoulos blabbering about the potential outcome of a nuclear exchange between the two out-of-control nations. Sam Gardiner, a retired colonel and expert on war games, discussed how scenarios are played out. Steph then went into a few war scenarios developed by the politically-biased Heritage Foundation. It was ludicrous: one had the feeling they were part of a "sales package" to pitch conservative politicians on the need for antimissile defense, and most of the scenarios did not make logical sense.

And that was a shame: Gardiner knows what he is talking about, and had scenarios from a more realism-oriented organization been provided, the true gravity of the situation would have been better served.

But Gardiner brought up one scenario that will have the Heritage fascists bristling: if one power uses nukes, he said, that's grounds for putting that nation's leaders before the international court of justice.

Ouch! Talk about blowback! What about that hallowed tenet of respecting nations' sovereignty against the creeping threat of internationalism and world government? We could hear the Heritage loons howling!

The most ridiculously rigged-looking, predictable round table on Pundit TV followed. There was a clip from Smirk's West Point speech advocating first strikes against "tairists"; George Will, naturally, supports the ides; Cokie lamented that we let these evildoers into the country and there needs to be a focus on domestic intelligence. Sam seemed a little confused about the new FBI spying policy; Will lied when he said we're not an aggressor state (tell that to Nicaragua, Indonesia and Grenada, you dumb schmuck); a guest talking head whose name we missed but who seems to have her head screwed on correctly said that both India and Pakistan feel threatened, and under Dim Son logic, one should move on the other (you could see the smoke coming out of Will's ears); Cokie acknowledged that it's nice to delineate between good vs. evil, but now Bunnypants has to deal with the likes of Arafat (huh? since when did he move to Kashmir? sure, it was a swipe at the Shrub Junta's much-vaunted "moral clarity" nonsense, but it was worded in such a way as to be a partial non-sequitur). Will saluted Israel for bombing an Iraqi nuclear reactor; Sam said that the call for taking preemptive action is close to that taken by Israel; Cokie talked about nukes as a deterrent, but Musharraf has a problem with some factions in Pakistan being out of control.

Now THAT is an understatement.

Sam shifted the focus back to domestic terrorism; the new face said that the FBI has tiptoed to the edge of the Constitution, but what happens in the long term to our liberties if we open the door to these "reforms"? Will whined that we live on a slippery slope, and judgment calls must be made -- citing FBI agents surfing for pedophiles. Cokie talked about the trouble one Arabic interpreter had in signing up for the FBI; Will fretted about sleeper cells.

We have a zero tolerance policy for George Will's weekly rant -- so we ignored it.

-- Dave "Doctor" Gonzo

Meat the Press

Tim Russert led off Meet the Press by stating the obvious: a government official admitted that the ball was dropped on preventing September 11th.

Wow, Tim -- what a revelation.

Tim's first victim... make that guest... was FBI boss Robert Mueller.

Tim mentioned a "director's report" to Ashcroft asking for more money, more counterterrorism agents and more translators for the FBI -- and the request was turned down on September 10. Mueller said he started on September 4 and he was still getting up to speed on his job; now, across the board, the FBI is focusing on counterterrorism. He added that he does not recall seeing that particular report, and added that if something is turned down on September 10th, they don't know about it immediately ( a good swipe at that other bureaucracy: the Justice Department).

Tim turned to the "bombshell" Rowley memo which criticized "shading" by Mueller and others; "she specifically refers to your comments of September 14th" about terrorists at flying schools. Russert rambled on at brain-numbing length, saying that Mueller was not well-served and then said it was news when, Russert claimed, it was not. Would Mueller make that statement again? Once again, Mueller said he started on September 4th and on September 11th he turned the attention to the possibility of a second wave of attacks. Mueller added that he was not aware of the Phoenix memo until late September, when he heard a field agent had written a memo and read it. Yes, it was a mistake, Mueller said.

Tim said the memo was not taken seriously because of the "racial profiling" issue; Mueller said that he has asked the inspector-general for a review of the facts.

Here Mueller could have blasted the handful of right-leaners who have hopped on this so-called "racial profiling" issue by pointing out that this was an issue of gathering information on foreign nationals, not "racial" profiling. It seems to be a spin calculated to blame liberals who oppose the profiling of Americans based on race.

Tim then used his favorite ambush technique -- playing old television footage. In this case, it was videotape of Mueller saying there were no warning signs coming from Minnesota. Tim pressed him: had you heard anything last September? Mueller said he had heard nothing specific up through December, and that the agents in Minneapolis did a great job in following up on Moussaoui and saw to it he was apprehended and "taken off the field". Tim said Rowley's concern is that more could have been done, including sharing info on Moussaoui and deeper investigation; Rowley has brought up the issue of embarrassment to the FBI, and the FBI chastised Minneapolis personnel for going straight to the CIA. Mueller said that all of the circumstances surrounding Moussaoui are being looked into by the inspector-general, and corrective measures are being taken within the bureau. Tim turned to the issue of Moussaoui's computer and the failure to obtain a search warrant to check the hard drive -- and expounded at length on what was on the hard drive, concluding that the FBI blocked the warrant. Mueller jumped down Tim's throat, saying that a specific suspect named by Russert during his rant as being on Moussaoui's hard drive was not!

Ha, ha! So much for Russert's credibility.

Mueller then said it is time to get to the bottom of how the decision not to get a warrant was made. Tim said that Mueller had said publicly there was no cause; Mueller again slapped down Tim by saying it was based on the facts he had at the time and standing policy.

Tim then turned to one agent Frasca apparently having concern over Mideast students at flying schools; Mueller said he needs to see all the facts first.

Mueller was doing a surprisingly strong job of slapping down Russert, especially cautioning him about all the facts not being in. Tim, however, kept pushing his "what is on the public record" litany of disturbing facts, finally asking if there will be a key person at the FBI who can connect all of these dots in the future. Mueller emphatically said yes, citing specialists in extremists and Al Qaeda. But could they have stopped September 11th if they had all the dots connected? Mueller gave a qualified maybe, adding that the FBI needs far more robust tools than they had prior to September 11th.

Tim then brought up Rep. Sensenbrenner's call for Mueller to appear before his committee to explain why the FBI wants domestic spying rules relaxed, having cited the way Martin Luther King was treated. Mueller said that the FBI is barred from going into Internet chat rooms, and additional powers are needed to remove certain bureaucratic impediments that prevent agents from doing their job. So could an FBI agent change his garb and walk into a mosque to listen to what is going on? Mueller would not answer specifically, but acknowledged that there has to be a balance that protects civil liberties. Will we have to give some of them up? No, said Mueller.

We wish he'd lit into Sensenbrenner for his cynical, cheap-shot invocation of King's name. King was victimized by the fascistic J. Edgar Hoover, whose political leanings are not terribly far from those of Sensenbrenner.

Tim then recounted a comment by Mueller that another Al Qaeda attack is inevitable, and some call this defeatist. Mueller called that nonsense; the FBI has prevented attacks here and overseas; he and his agents want to do everything they can to stop another attack. Mueller cited Richard "Shoe Bomb Boy" Reed, whose attack failed.

Do you have a problem with Rowley testifying? None at all, he said; he welcomes her suggestions, though he does not agree with all of what Rowley wrote.

Finally, Tim cited that sneering Wall Street Journal editorial calling on Mueller to resign. Do you intend to resign? In a slap at Robert Bartley and the rest of the Wall Street Journal wrecking crew, Mueller emphatically said no.

Good for you, Mueller! It's time someone in the present administration gave the opinion thugs at the Journal the verbal finger.

Are we safer today? Absolutely, said Mueller.

And that was pretty much it for the interview. Prosecutor Tim had not done a great job with his selective facts. It's no surprise he failed to mention some other interesting facts that redound well for the FBI (for example, their having to advise the CIA on counterterrorist investigations).

Tim then welcomed the top four intelligence committee members in Congress. Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) said he has confidence in Mueller; Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) said he has much to learn and he hopes he can have confidence in Mueller; Rep. Porter Goss (R-FL) said he has confidence; Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA and a rising star worth keeping an eye on) said she has confidence and concerns, particularly in establishing a balance between counterterrorism and civil rights. Can Congress stop the new FBI initiatives? Pelosi said yes, but she wants to see their plans for balance and the proposed methodology. Tim then talked about a briefing Smirk received on possible terrorist attacks, citing an article in the notoriously inaccurate right wing rag Human Events that claimed Graham said he saw the briefing. Graham said Human Events got the facts wrong (big surprise -- not); he saw a summary of the briefing and that it's not fair to expect Shrub to spring into action (this was an indirect swipe at his lack of vision and intellect); Pelosi also slammed the inaccuracy of the Human Events article, saying the information got to them in pieces over a period of time, and the report she saw within 24 hours made no references to hijacking.

Tim asked Graham what he wants his hearings to achieve. Graham said goal one was to find out what happened leading up to September 11th; goal two is to come up with ways to avoid similar events. Goss agreed, adding that the hearings will be thorough. Will heads roll if there is a finding that people did not do their job? Goss sounded like he was being noncommittal, but there was a "you bet" hidden in his wording. Pelosi said that the joint hearings are vital -- thousands died and there must be a means to prevent such an event from happening again.

Tim returned to the issue of the Moussaoui laptop -- will the people who handled the issue be called to testify? Goss said yes, and he expects the cooperation of the public, citing Rowley's cooperation. "If you're going to be aware, you have to know what's going on" -- and the entire "tapestry" of the system must be examined. Graham also anticipates that many of the people who handled evidence will be called to testify.

Tim then mentioned the failure of the CIA to notify law enforcement authorities that suspects had flown from the Philippines to America. Tim mentioned that Goss had worked for the CIA and asked him to talk about the "conflict of culture" between the CIA and FBI; instead, Goss said he's worked there thirty years ago and instead asked why four apparently hijacked planes didn't set off all sorts of alarms. Pelosi wants to assess the performance of more agencies than simply the FBI and CIA -- for example, why wasn't the FAA in the loop? Shelby said he sees "no excuse" for the FBI having dropped the ball, given the Phoenix and Minneapolis memos.

Following the break, the focus turned to India and Pakistan. Tim brought up a scenario of Al Qaeda taking over in Pakistan and getting the bomb; Graham said that we should not have been on the sideline for nearly five decades, and it's time to reassess the deployment of troops in Pakistan. Could there be a nuclear war in the region, and could nukes fall into Al Qaeda's hands? Goss said the situation has deteriorated and is being inflamed by Al Qaeda, and the question becomes who would start such an exchange. He added that there is insufficient understanding of the ramifications of a nuclear exchange. Shelby called it the most dangerous, incendiary region on the planet -- and we need to engage both sides. Pelosi said that all of the leaders of the world must tell India and Pakistan that use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable. We watched while Pakistan developed their nukes, she added, and did nothing.

Wow -- this was the most impressive and action-packed MTP we've seen in a while, given that the guests refused to genuflect at the altar of NBC News and Pope Timmy, especially Robert Mueller.

-- JJ Balzer

Face the Nation

We missed Face the Nation -- but did see a clip on CNN's excellent Late Edition of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) deriding Friday's Wall Street Journal editorial calling for Mueller to resign as "Alice in Wonderland" thinking.

We loved it. That makes Robert "I Killed Vince Foster" Bartley Tweedledum -- and Paul "Deregulation Gigolo" Gigot Tweedledumber!

-- JJ

The Capital Gang
The gang pussy-foots around the many dangerous warning signs that the post-Clinton world has become a very dangerous and perilous place.

Today we were blessed by the absence of Kate O'Beirne. Sitting in as a chair warmer was Sen. Bryon Allen, former host of TV's "Real People" -- er, no -- I'm sorry, that's Sen. GEORGE Allen (R-VA), the banal and insipid member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

While Kate is reckless, factually challenged, and earns her keep by twisting things almost beyond recognition in mindless defense of all things Republican, at least she's not afraid to express views that are often idiotic as well as deeply offensive to anyone who believes in democracy and the notion that the government or the idea of government of, by, and for the people.

Allen is simply a black hole in space with an odd little grin that never leaves his face, no matter what the subject, which seems to belie brain damage. He is one of the many politicians that have mastered the maddening art of moving his lips, producing words, and saying exactly nothing about anything.

First up was the reaction to the revelation that the FBI could have done something to try to thwart the September 11th attacks, and John Ashcroft's exactly wrong response. Ashcroft, led by his fascist and totalitarian beliefs, reacted to this news by giving the FBI even broader and more unconstitutional powers to spy on almost anyone, for any reason, domestically.

I find it peculiar that in response to attack by foreign attack, the action taken is to expand DOMESTIC spying to unthinkable levels, thus giving further aid and comfort to the terrorists by making the U.S. into a country more resembling Afghanistan under the Taliban or Saudi Arabia.

That's what you get when you hand power to religious zealots committed to destroy freedoms in the name of all that's "holy". In a perfect world, we'd put Ashcroft, Falwell, and the rest on an island with Osama, a bunch of radical Muslim clerics, and maybe a few members of the Heaven's Gate cult and Aum Shinrikyo for the fun of it, and let them have their fun while leaving the rest of the world out of it.

As if one needed convincing that Ashcroft had gone power mad with this further grab for almost total revocation of the right to privacy, a clip was shown of Rep. James Sensenbrenner, he of pious Impeachment Mangler fame, saying he gets "queasy" hearing Jesus John's desire to return the FBI to the bad old days of spying on perceived political enemies, as they'd done to Martin Luther King, Jr. and others.

Margaret Carlson expressed the mealy mouthed opinion that yes, there was a danger of abuse, but asserted that the FBI wouldn't be surveiling students singing "Give Peace a Chance". She said that the way to deal with this is to give them the powers and then have very strong oversight.

Of course, she's too clever by half in mocking peace activists and also dangerously trusting of the handing of even more power to the enormously powerful FBI. Oversight? Yeah. People all over the country know how effective strong oversight in even small police departments when they see 99.9% of blatant police misconduct, up to and often including murder, found to be perfectly proper after "internal review" by some local entity.

It's reason to be very alarmed when no one stands up for the rights of all of us because we think it's only going to be used against people we don't give a damn about anyway, such as Muslim male non-citizens.

And Margaret better crack her history books if she's so confident that these new powers won't ever be used to spy on people opposed to the war.

Bob "Sunbeam" Novak recognizes this goofy power grab for what it is, a panicked and ill-considered reaction to pressure from Congress (under orders from Rove) to make the FBI the fall guy for this lack of response to clear pre-September 11th warnings. He notes that if Sensenbrenner is alarmed, then we all should be alarmed.

Ashcroft is an incompetent whose solution to EVERY problem is to expand the police state. Period. Where will we end up after the next few crisis pops up? How far will Jesus John go in finding new ways to casually throw out ever more of our cherished rights and freedoms -- as if it's up to HIM what rights we should throw out? When is anyone going to tap Ashcroft on the shoulder and say, "Hey Bub, that ain't the way we do it here"? (The fact of the matter is that Ashcroft should NEVER have been confirmed. Thank a Democrat for all this crap.)

George Allen spoke and said nothing.

Al Hunt echoed Novacula and saying that if a troglodyte like Sensenbrenner is alarmed, it's time to notice.

He also made the excellent point that Ashcroft is just taking the very laziest and stupidest route. The point wasn't that the FBI didn't have enough intelligence data, it's that they didn't USE it and process it correctly. That's what needs to be fixed. Yet idiot John decides we need to spy on mosques, as if that's going to prevent another attack. All it will do is create a very, very nasty return to paranoia and loathing that was fomented in the past. "When J. Edgar Hoover wasn't wearing his pumps, he was engaging in a reign of terror." said Hunt.

Novak, reflexively, stammered, "Oh he didn't wear -- he didn't wear pumps."

What was it Bob, sling backs? Or maybe an understated espadrille?

The conclusion all around was that Ashcroft's was exactly the wrong reaction. When confronted with warnings that any chimp could figure out were clear and, yes, specific -- not some vague, impossible to figure out warning, as the White House would have us believe -- the morons at the helm react instinctively by saying that they need more power. They can't bear to think they simply need to do a better job with the vast powers they already have. They know well that once they HAVE the power, it will be difficult or impossible for the people to take it back.

It was also mentioned that this is an attempt to try to inoculate the Justice Department against the (we can only hope) damaging testimony that will come out in upcoming hearings.

On to more scary news in our brave new George W. Bush-inspired world: the perilous situation between Pakistan and India, and threat of nuclear war.

A clip of the Chief Clod was shown in which he managed to get out some tough-sounding, near-coherent warnings to Musharraf. Shields asked if it's really all up to the dictator of Pakistan to solve this.

Hunt is scared, saying this is the most perilous time since the Cuban missile crisis. Hunt had talked to "experts" and that they think that neither India or Pakistan truly understands the risk of using nuclear weapons, with estimates of 7 to 10 million deaths on each side in a nuclear "exchange." There's also the great risk that a catastrophe could be sparked by random events, which is not unlikely. He speculated that some rogue Pakistani could blow up the Indian parliament, sparking retaliation against Pakistan, and Pakistan, fearing annihilation, could respond with nukes.

Of course, George W. Bush, having grown to almost mythic proportions as a truly decisive, articulate, and brave war leader, will know exactly what to do and will diffuse this highly volatile situation and keep the world safe and peaceful.

Right?

We don't need to worry. Right?

I mean, he's got it all under control. Doesn't he?

Allen, who apparently believes that there's no big deal here, tried to say that it wasn't helpful to call Musharraf a dictator. Shields defended his characterization by saying that there have been no democratic elections in Pakistan. Allen sounded idiotic by responding "Yeah, well..." and trailing off.

Of course, being a Republican, he's not exactly in a position to bad-mouth taking power through undemocratic means. I guess this is a tiny bit more refreshing than hearing them denounce others that have supposedly taken power without a majority of the votes. At least Allen is intellectually consistent in defending un-elected dictators.

Novak gave a detailed assessment of the situation, with his major point being that Musharraf is still allowing Al Quada groups to operate in Pakistan. Bob says this is because he can't throw them out without being given something to show his Army generals that he gotten in return for throwing Al Quada out. Novak says that Musharraf hasn't gotten anything thus far, and hints that he should, without giving a clue as to what that "thing" might be.

Maybe Musharraf's angling for a cut of the oil revenues that the Bush Family Evil Empire is going to get, one way or the other, even if it kills us all. ("We're going to get that oil, over YOUR dead body!")

The gang all opined that the problem is Musharraf not having control over the militant factions in his army and country, suggesting that he really can't be held accountable. Gee. But weren't you guys just saying that Arafat should be able to exercise total control and stop all attacks on Israel, even when he was huddled in a room surrounded by the ruins of his organization? I guess that was different.

Next, Our National Embarrassment's trip to summa them for-ine yurpein countries.

As you know, prior to hijacking the White House, the international menace known as "G W Bush" had never set foot outside of US soil with the exception of drunken benders in Mexico and going over to China so Dad could try to hook him up with some business capital back in the day. Now we send this rank amateur over to countries that were mature before America was even known to exist.

Shields set up the story with a clip of the immature, belligerent moron mangling some lofty sentiment about a unified Europe, then showed a taste of how Europe views this walking disaster. "London's Independent said that the president, quote, 'sometimes seems unsure which European country he is visiting,' end quote. The London Daily Mirror said, quote, 'Bumbling George Bush was lost for words last night,' end quote. And The Times of London said, quote, 'Like certain distinctive wines, President George Bush does not travel well.'"

We think they gave the Chimp a pass with those overly charitable assessments. Oh, to think if we actually had an independent major media here in America. We could read those headlines and know that reality again had a fighting chance of being reported.

There followed an utterly revealing and truly embarrassing display of bratty, childish jealousy, and thin-skinned fury by this unelected mess. Dim Son made an ass out of himself at the mere thought that someone was making him look stupid. As everyone in the world outside the right wing knows, making himself look stupid is one of the few things Junior does consistently well.

David Gregory asking him why he thought there were "such strong sentiments in Europe against you and your administration" and then adding in French that the question was also directed at the President of France.

Simian Boy, giving the world a taste of what he's REALLY like, tore the earpiece out of his ear and threw it down to his side, and went off on an inexplicable tirade, saying of Gregory, "The guy memorizes four words, and he plays like he's intercontinental", then stood there bobbing his shoulders and grinning like a moron as the syncophantic press laughed nervously.

Taking the challenge of this callow dunce suggesting that, rather than being fluent in French, he'd merely memorized a few words, Gregory said, "I can go on."

At that point, the emotional-equilibrium-challenged Dim Son almost lost it completely. Someone was actually challenging his immature and stupid smart ass remarks, rather than laughing like it's actually funny. He responded, "I'm impressed. Que bueno. Now I'm literate in two languages."

No George, you aren't even CLOSE to literate in your native tongue, let alone any other.

Bush then rambled on defensively saying, "So you go to a protest. I drive through the streets and see people ---- waving."

Well, then! That "proves" that there's no opposition to Chimp and his reckless unilateral course. Hey, so there were thousands protesting... some people were -- waving. I guess that ends THAT argument.

It was a despicable display of just what a shallow, vile, and vindictive oaf this guy is. It pisses him off that a reporter actually asks the FRENCH president a question in FRENCH? When Bush is in foreign countries, the foreign press routinely asks their questions in English, yet this somehow offends Bush?

Why? Was this a display of his dangerous inferiority complex and anti-intellectual weirdness? Clearly, he views anyone with even an ordinary amount of intelligence as a threat. This really comes as no surprise. What does however, is that the many times this sickening trait is displayed doesn't seem to arouse more people to point it out.

What was the White House excuse for this hissy fit? Jet lag. Yep, little George was too tired to be presidential. Didn't have his nappie. And they say this without a trace of fear that people will wonder what a guy is doing representing this country on foreign soil if he can't function on less than a full 8 hours of sleep. And sadly, the press all feels his pain.

Shields asked Novak if Bush has a "European problem."

Sunbeam said that it was Europe that "has an American problem."

Yeah, I'd say so Bob -- as personified by the callow wad at the helm.

Novak hewed to his oft stated dismissive view of Europe, more or less suggested that the Europeans should bow down and present their hindquarters as a gesture of submission, and just shut up and get out of the way. This of course is a very smart and helpful way to proceed. NOT.

Bob got off a howler by suggesting that the European leaders are "jealous" of Bush, and that Bush shouldn't "be worried about one network reporter trying to be a smart aleck."

Ah... but perhaps he's worried that they'll ALL snap out of it and become what Bob considers smart alecks, which is code for "good reporters."

When Shields asked Novak if there was anything wrong with asking a French leader a question in French, Novak stammered that he thought it was Gregory's question that had set the Chimp off, as if that excused it. What went unasked was WHY would that question inspire such low-brow pissy behavior? Sure, he doesn't have to like it, but to act like the reporter was way out of line to even ask is a horrid reflection on the real Bush Jr. Though this ugliness has been on constant display for years now, the media continues to ignore it and excuse it any way they can.

The article on this incident on cnn.com reports this embarrassing behavior in this way:

"Bush responded testily to a question about anti-American sentiment and was a bit crabby around his staff.
No wonder."

Then proceeds to exude sympathy that poor George was all tired out and wasn't used to having long days with less than a full nights rest.

No wonder indeed. It's no wonder because he's an intellectual midget that's so far out of his league dealing with European leaders as to be laughable. No wonder. The real wonder is millions of people wondering how we wound up with this menace in office.

Margaret Carlson, very much in full back off mode, agreed that Gregory was somehow "showing off", and went on to say that we saw something that we don't see a lot of, namely, Bush's thin skin. Hell, we see it almost daily! She also made note of Bush's psychopathic hatred of being upstaged in any way. That's such a cute trait, isn't it? That's always a trait one wants in a leader. Brings to mind greats of the past, say Mussolini or any number of African tinhorn dictators.

Margaret reminded us that during the campaign, the entire show would shut down at 3 p.m. Friday so bush could go back to his hidey-hole in Austin with his "piddow" which he brought with him everywhere he went on the campaign.

Both she and Novak then dismissed this as simply the penchant for the European press to report on the "ugly American" "cowboy" angle. Well, if the shoe fits....

Hunt, apparently secure in the knowledge that he'll still be allowed to maintain his social status in D.C., pointed out that the trip was a mess and accomplished exactly nothing, that even Murdoch's papers were critical, (which brought a howl from Novak.) and went on to put the lame White House spin in perspective, asking, "Can you IMAGINE F.D.R. or Eisenhower pleading JET LAG??"

Hunt noted that the Chimp was a "hermetically sealed" president and that they don't let him out much. And when they do, he has a tendency to embarrass himself.

Well, Al, you may call it a "tendency", but when it comes to the question of whether weak and stupid will embarrass himself and our country, I'll take that bet. I like the odds.

Sen. Allen made some unctuous and banal remarks, capping it off by the brilliant defense of Smirk's supposed jet lag of pointing out that FDR and Eisenhower couldn't have suffered jet lag, because "they didn't have jets."

Novak, in a fit of conservative weirdness, started ripping on F.D.R. for not telling the public that he'd had a stroke and asserting that F.D.R. had given "half the world away -- half of Eastern Europe away to the Russians."
Hunt shot back, "You wouldn't be sitting here today if it weren't for F.D.R. who saved your freedom!"

Novak snarled some more, and Hunt blasted him by saying that F.D.R. gave him the ability to sit there and get rich.
Shields then said he seconded Hunt and noted to Novak that F.D.R., "saved your free enterprise system and he saved democracy!"

The second half featured a "Capital Gang Classic" on Tiananman Square in which Novak expressed condemnation of the Chinese.

When both Shields and Hunt mock praised him for coming down on the side of human rights over dollar signs, Novak just grinned. When asked why his outrage didn't last too long, Bobula used a "touchy, feely" expression that he'd otherwise mock, saying that it comes time to "move on" and "put it behind you."

They then interviewed the President of Georgetown University, an interview clearly of interest to only a few outside the beltway. Then it was on to Elizabeth "DON'T CALL ME LIBBY!" "Libby" Dole's campaign in North Carolina against Erskine Bowles, the capable aid to Clinton.

It was interesting in an inside baseball sort of way, and the campaign will surely be one to watch. But in the interest of getting this done before Labor Day, it's time for the OUTRAGES OF THE WEEK.

SHIELDS: If truth is the first casualty in any war, then constitutional rights must be the second. The U.S. Justice Department seeks to stop 21-year-old Yasser Esam Hamdi, born in Louisiana, raised in Saudi Arabia, and now held in a Navy brig in Norfolk, from meeting with his public defender. No charges have been filed since he was captured with the Taliban.

Why? The feds say, quote, "The relationship of trust and dependency between detainees and the military that is key to intelligence-gathering," end quote, would be damaged.

Last time I read the constitution, being born in the United States made you a U.S. citizen.

[Be prepared for more Soviet style anti-democratic outrages folks. This is serious.]

NOVAK: Ever wonder what it means for a little state like South Dakota to have its Senator Tom Daschle as Senate majority leader? Take a look at the Senate version of the Emergency Appropriations Bill that supposedly funds war on terrorism and homeland security.

In the dead of the night with no publicity, an extra $400,000 to $650,000 was added for the Wagner South Dakota School District. Where did the money come from? At the expense of 1,300 other school districts impacted with federal employees as Wagner is.

Congratulations, South Dakota.

[Oh, boo hoo, Bobula. Tom Ridge is playing around handing out BILLIONS of dollars of what used to be the budget surplus and refusing to have any accountability to our representatives in congress, and you're bitching about THIS? Guess since it's going to public education, it's evil, but if it's going to huge corporations and the very rich, then it's just peachy.]

CARLSON: Mark, we're used to interviews with Arab-American students bleating about their hatred for America from the comfort of their Ivy League dorm rooms. Now a Harvard student who has defended a group with ties to Hamas has the nerve to complain about complaints over his commencement speech, subtitled, "American Jihad."

If Harvard weren't so PC, there would be an adult saying, graduation is not a forum for debate.

President Larry Summers should show the same anti-PC courage he showed when he told a professor that a rap CD is not a work of scholarship.

[Margaret must be off her feed. There's no need to argue for MORE censorship while our rights are being stolen left and right as it is. One also wonders what the content of this students speech was, or if Margaret even glanced at it. One suspects that the uproar is simply over the use of the word "jihad" and nothing else.]

HUNT: Bob, I think Senator Tim Johnson was to blame for Wagner.

Mark, the worst news in journalism this week was Tom Brokaw's retirement announcement. It's not that it's imminent. He'll be an NBC News anchor for another two and a half years. And it's not that he doesn't deserve it after years as a distinguished White House correspondent, "Today" show host, and anchorman.

It's just that in a business where standards seem to erode every year, we can ill afford to lose someone who cares about real journalism.

[Yes, it's sad when the loss of someone merely willing to look the other way for this administration, doing nothing to rock the boat is something worth mourning. A journalist who merely did little to report the truth is the lesser of two evils when compared to active and willing propagandist for the corporate right agenda.]

And that, dear readers, is what passed for serious political commentary this week.

-- Dash Riprock

JJ Balzer is a former television news producer. He lives in New York City.

Dave "Doctor" Gonzo is a media producer and guru. He lives in fortified, high-rise compound in New York City.

Dash Riprock is a freelance smart aleck based in Moline, IL who would like nothing better than to hear your cheers, jeers, bombast, vitriolic rants, biting condemnation, complaints, suggestions, theories, or favorite recipes. You can reach him at dashriprockapj@hotmail.com