by The Editors
and the APJ Pundit Pap Team

Sunday, April 25, 1999 -- New York/Washington -- Yes, we knew that title would get your attention.

And before you think we've gone off the deep end, we would like to point out a fact: not one person on any of the Sabbath Gasbag "public affairs" pundit shows had the guts to ask this question. The blame went to the usual suspects: Hollywood, the music industry, the entertainment industry, Marilyn Manson, and the video game Doom.

Stop and think for a moment: is it really such a stretch to blame Ken Starr? In fact, is it a stretch at all? For over a full year, American media was saturated with one story: a sex scandal "in" the Oval Office. The story was fueled by leaks and lies from Kenneth W. Starr's Office of Independent Counsel -- even the name of the office is a lie, given Starr's political ties and private client list.

Starr set out to "get" Clinton by any means -- by ruining him personally, professionally, and financially, and breaking up his family. In the process he diminished and weakened the office with no regard for the nation's interest or for the President, his family, his friends, and his staff. His attempt at an impeachment coup also undermined respect for and faith in the Constitutional process and American values.

Starr spearheaded the creation of an atmosphere of hate and dehumanization, aided inside and outside his office by hard-righters no longer worthy to be members of the Republican Party, who injected into American culture a complete and total lack of sympathy, empathy, compassion or caring.

Here's how this week's Pap played out.

Fox News Sunday

In typical exploitative Fox News Channel fashion, the program began with the 911 phone call to Littleton police. "Why? a stunned nation asks," Tony Snow said. He started the program by turning to a Fox News correspondent who flogged more sensational details -- that the two perpetrators had planned to destroy the cafeteria and library, and that a third suspect was being sought.

Tony's first guests -- Gov. Bill Owens, who started talking about a "culture of death" and a "great piece in the Wall Street Journal by Peggy Noonan." Right, the WSJ, whose editorial page is itself responsible for the suicide of Vincent Foster. Believe me, Robert Bartley and John Fund can tell you a few things about the "culture of death."

Tony asked Harvard professor and child psychologist Alvin Poussaint about the "culture of death," and Poussaint continued to spin the Satan-Goth-devil worship angle of the Littleton massacre.

Former principal Joe Clark lit into the principal of Columbine High School for not being aware that something was amiss among the "Trench coat Mafia" students, and was scolded by Poussaint. But Clark fired back -- and rightly so, we would say. Had this principal been aware that the perpetrators had been systematically bullied -- and that they were up to no good? And why not?

Owens also fired back, but weakly -- Clark criticized the school's atmosphere of hate and violence. Bravo, Joe Clark -- but you should have gone further, mentioning the repressive, hard-right culture within the town of Littleton, which itself contributed to the marginalization of kids who were a little "different" and didn't fit in!

Owens predicted that others would be implicated in the massacre. Tony, Drudge-like, asked about a "rumor" that a suspect had failed a lie-detector test (which one, Tony -- Kathleen Willey?), and the best Owens could do was confirm that he'd heard the rumor -- then began speculating on evidence. Will parents be charged, asked Tony? Owens did not discount the possibility -- but Poussaint said that there should be an investigation of who owned and bought the guns.

Baloney. None of them has a clue as to what should happen. Law enforcement should charge the school district. And the parents of every victim -- including the two shooters, who were bullied into insanity by the "A&F Army" of violent Columbine High jocks (turns out the "Trench coat Army" was not the only nicknamed clique in that school) -- should sue the school district for every penny they can get!

Tony talked "deterrence" with Poussaint and asked if schools were "dismissive" of religious values.

Tell me, Tony, WHOSE religious values? Neo-Nazi Gary Bauer, whose world view fits that of an ideologically repressive and mega-Evangelical community while ignoring the essential tenets of Christianity? All we've been seeing for the last few days on the news channels are memorial services, students talking about their "relationship with Christ," and Littleton clergymen spouting a lot of 700 Club-style pap about "healing" -- as if that alone is going to make everything better in their community.

Commercials: ADM (Brinkley) and Fox shows.

Following the break, Tony and Brit Hume welcomed hyper-right winger Sen. Don Nickles and started by feeding him some suspicious Fox Opinion Dynamics poll numbers, including one that that called the Kosovo "war" a draw. Nickles claimed that he was "concerned" that we were "celebrating a defensive alliance" (NATO on its 50th anniversary) that is becoming a "global police force." He talked about his opposition to the resolution to bomb Serbia.

Nickles thereby belied his sympathy with fascist zealot Slobodan Milosevic.

Mara put him on the spot about the GOP's failure to take a position -- and Nickles evaded by yammering about "no plan... you should get in and get out." Of course, he failed to point out that it's too early to have anything resembling a firm plan for ground troops, let alone a decision on whether the U.S. should participate.

Should NATO withdraw, asked Brit? Nickles yammered on about Rambouillet and said that "We have to get out of this mess" and should enlist the help of parties that can influence the Serbs to get their forces out of Kosovo (i.e., Russia), and simultaneously stop bombing and put in peacekeepers as Serbia pulls its forces out. He wants an international force, not a U.S.-led NATO force.

Juan Williams talked about the $6 billion spent on Kosovo -- does this kill a resolution of the Social Security issue? Nickles said no -- but we can't believe him. We predict his matter will NOT be resolved -- so that Al Gore can use it as a campaign issue cudgel to clobber the GOP.

And Hume, who seemed to have little patience for the intellectually weak Nickles, blasted him for saying he favored an embargo while simultaneously saying that an embargo could force a face-off with the Russian Republic. Nickles' weak answer further cemented his reputation as no Albert Schweitzer.

Juan put Nickles on the spot, asking him if the GOP could support a handgun ban. "We'd take a look at it... the situation in Colorado is a real disaster."

You bet it is, Nickles -- for the NRA. For the ultra-conservative wing of the GOP. For the militia movement. For hard-right gun zealots. And for any hope of the GOP holding a majority in the House after the next election. Nickles sounded more scared for himself than for school kids as he suddenly started talking school security and metal detectors.

No wonder Nickles has made so few appearances lately -- without Lewinsky to yammer about, Nickles proves to be nothing more than Trent Lott's trained parrot!

We were laughing so hard over Doltish Don's performance that we missed the next group of spots.

"What is NATO's mission?" Senators Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell were the next two guests.

Mara asked Biden if NATO was closer to prepositioning or using ground forces, and Biden said that "as Nickles said," everyone wants a return of the Kosovars -- but we are closer to ground troops. Biden also pointed out that Gen. Wesley Clark has at last been given freer rein to target in Yugoslavia -- including the ability to target broadcasters.

Mara asked McConnell about ground troops, and he replied that ground troops should have been prepositioned months ago.

Utter pap -- first, there is no way this could have been implemented, and McConnell knows this; and second, it would have inflamed regional tensions in an even worse way than we are seeing today!

McConnell did his best to weakly argue that the U.S. Kosovo policy (and therefore Clinton) was a failure -- "if we had a different President, this would have been handled more aggressively months ago." Right, Mitch-Bob -- and left unresolved, the way that George Bush left Bosnia and Iraq. Biden made McConnell a fool -- pointing out that had ground troops been in place there would have been no need for consensus and McConnell would have been on the air slamming Clinton for failing to marshal a consensus among the NATO allies!

Tony asked McConnell about Biden's describing war as a "process" and McConnell claimed that had we planned in advance, we could have prevented the refugee "disaster." This is pure speculation on McConnell's part -- a different plan may have decreased refugees by encouraging Serbs to kill instead of expel.

Biden also skewered McConnell on the KLA -- they are not organized ,but we should not rule out helping them (he did not say arm them, though). Biden also slapped the Fox Opinion Dynamics poll for asking the loaded question "Is this effort worth one American life?"

Good for you, Joe.

Two quick observations: McConnell is gaining weight. We say that if Bob Dole can pitch Viagra, Mitch should look into endorsing Slim-Fast. And maybe Joe Biden can hype Propecia!

Spots for First Union, IBM, Futurama, and TWA preceded panel time. Tony asked Brit what NATO had done this week, and Brit said "Nothing... it's turned into a war council." Oh... we see... shutting down Slobodan's oil production and propaganda factories is nothing.

Mara talked a little about Tony Blair not making a "big thing" out of the Serbia situation but looking like a leader. Tony followed up by asking Juan about Blair, and all three were trying to spin Tony as the new "king" of NATO.

Problem is, Tony Blair makes Bill Clinton look real -- and serious -- on the global stage.

Mara talked about the different domestic pressures of each NATO leaders -- and that Tony Blair has the least to lose with "a populace that is willing to take casualties!"

Sure, Mara. I can hear my British pals saying, "Right, cheerio, a few dead Brits, so what, all in a good day's work."

Mara also said that "The Gulf War was Bush's war... Kosovo is not Clinton's war." Well, duhhh, Mara -- maybe it's because Bush didn't have a solid UN coalition (let alone cooperation from all the NATO nations) to go after Iraq!

Juan bashed the latest Clinton Administration target of the right-wing press, Sandy Berger, for "not doing his job." Last year, they were going after Sid Blumenthal.

But the main thread running through the panel chat was that Brit wants a war -- and it sounds like the rest of the panel wouldn't mind seeing it too, if only to give themselves something interesting to talk about!

Spots: ADM (Brinkley again).

Tony's final word was on the two Littleton shooters' "nihilism" and responsibility -- banal generalizations. We've heard far better from Tony in the past.

Face the Nation

Today's topic: the school massacre in Littleton, CO.

Bob Schieffer first talked with Governor Bill Owens (R-CO) and asked him whether there were accomplices in the massacre. Owens said that given the amount of material that was brought into the school and the planning that went into it, some investigators believe that there were perhaps student accomplices. But they will know more as the investigation proceeds.

Schieffer asked him about a suspect who failed the lie detector test. Owens can't confirm that. Are arrests imminent? He can't confirm that either, in order not to hinder the investigation.

Gloria Borger asked him if any thought has been given to charging the parents of these students with any kind of a crime. Owens said that the authorities have suggested that at least one set of parents should have known given the evidence that was found in the killer's room. If the parents are thought by authorities to reasonably have been expected to know, then the possibility of them being charged in some way is very real. Gloria asked him, charge them with what? Owens said if you had adults who should have known what was going on, and who failed to exercise care in a situation like this, they could be charged as accomplices just as other individuals could if they knew about it and failed to act.

Gloria asked him if they know where these boys got their guns yet. Owens said the law enforcement authorities know but this information can't be disclosed yet.

Schieffer asked him about the email that was sent warning that there may be more trouble on Monday. Owens said that it is being taken seriously to see whether or not it is legitimate, a possible copycat or even a prank.

Schieffer asked him if he has changed his mind now about gun control laws, specifically regarding his position in favor of carrying concealed weapons. Owens said Colorado has very tough gun control laws and these criminals violated all of them. He thinks this issue has been misunderstood and that what they are trying to do is pass a statewide standard that would moderate some counties and would liberalize others.

Schieffer: "So you have not changed your position on it, though." No, Owens has not changed his position. Is the NRA still welcome in Colorado, Schieffer asked. Owens said he is "reluctant to pile on to an organization" which he thinks "had nothing directly to do with this tragedy. There is enough blame to go around with us as parents, with this culture, and this media which glorifies violence." He added that the NRA has been welcomed in Colorado until recently.

The next guest was Wayne LaPierre, Executive VP of the NRA. Schieffer asked him about the concealed weapons debate -- if teachers and principals were carrying guns, does the NRA think that it might have prevented what happened? LaPierre said that if a citizen applies and passes the safety course and goes through training, there is no reason why they shouldn't be allowed to carry firearms. There have been no problems with the gun laws, he says. He thinks "this whole talk about that law in the midst of this terrible tragedy is simply off the point."

Schieffer asked him what he meant by this statement made by him and Charlton Heston: "We must stand in somber but unshakable unity, even in this time of anguish." La Pierre said that it is a somber time and that "out of respect for the families and the victims, we have cancelled all of our meetings out there, except for what we are required to do" under the non-for-profit law. He also said that the NRA has facilities located very near where the tragedy occurred, that "they are an integral part of that community."

Gloria asked him what he thinks about what the Justice Dept. is now proposing -- to hold adults criminally responsible for allowing children to get access to guns. Would he support that legislation? LaPierre does not support it, unless the adults are criminally negligent.

Gloria asked him how do we keep children from getting access to guns. LaPierre said that 1) "we need to make our schools safe," 2) "we have to do better in terms of prosecution... it's a shameful secret [that] we are not prosecuting felons with guns in this country," 3) "we are supporting in Congress a $50 million appropriation for additional prosecutors and $50 million appropriation for advertising," 4) "we need violent juveniles who commit violent crimes with guns to forever be prohibited from owning a gun."

The next guest was Eric Holder, Deputy Attorney General. Schieffer asked him if it would really help if teachers and principals were to carry concealed weapons. Holder doesn't believe we need more guns on the streets or more people carrying guns. President Clinton has proposed putting 2000 safety officers in schools, people who are trained in the use of firearms and in defusing these kinds of situations. He also believes that tougher gun laws would help; so would prevention and tougher enforcement of the laws; and also more regulations, reasonable regulations.

Gloria asked him to comment on what the Governor said, that these parents should have known, they should be charged. Holder said that to say that the parents should have known is a dangerous concept, but if "we are taking about criminal negligence, yes, that is something upon which you might be able to build a statute. But the question is how far do you want to go in that regard."

Schieffer asked him what is the Administration advocating, isn't it to hold parents criminally liable? Holder said yes but when there is knowledge, not when they should have known. But when there is actual knowledge.

Gloria said one can learn how to make a bomb on the internet. "How do you police that?" Holder said that it is very difficult to regulate the internet, but if we can create reasonable regulations, that is something to look favorably at.

Schieffer asked him to comment on what LaPierre said, that kids who bring guns to school aren't being prosecuted enough. Holder said that they want to extend the law to cover juveniles who commit serious crimes and prevent them from ever possessing guns.

Gloria asked him if they are worried about copycat crimes. Holder said yes, they are very worried about that. Every time one of these incidents happens, it plays in the minds of some young person who has a grievance, who feels alienated. We have to keep our guard up and put an end to these things. She asked him if he thinks this is about to become an epidemic in this country. He doesn't believe so. He said these events are actually extremely rare. But we should devote a lot of attention to them.

Schieffer said when he was growing up, the weapon of choice was a baseball bat. "What has happened to make these guns so easy to get?" Holder said that "there are a lot more guns, and there are a lot more powerful guns that are available, and we need to deal with the adults who make guns available to kids. We talk an awful lot in our nation about having individual rights, and I think that is something we all fully support. But we also have individual responsibilities" and that people like members of the NRA and other pro-gun organizations need to support the Administration's efforts -- bipartisan efforts... -- to create reasonable regulations on the use and the possession of guns.

Gloria asked him, if this was a perfect world what would he do to deal with the availability of guns to children. Holder said he "would not let children under a certain age to possess guns and would not let children who commit serious, violent crime to ever possess guns. This is in the proposal the Administration has made and Congress needs to act on this very quickly."

Commercials: Charles Schwab, Xerox.

Next person they talked to was Dr. James Fox, Criminologist of Northeastern University in Massachusetts. Schieffer asked him what he thinks about teachers and principals carrying guns. Fox believes it is a terrible idea. "Teachers should be educating children, not executing them." He believes that it would backfire, literally.

Gloria asked him about parental accountability. Fox suggested taking with a grain of salt -- maybe the whole shaker! -- this idea that the parents should have known, should have done something. He pointed out the incident that happened in Oregon last year, where parents tried everything they could to get their son some help and, "what did he do? He punished his parents by killing them first before he went on the rampage at his school." In cases of gross negligence, yes, parents are responsible. "But most of the time parents are well meaning and would like to have a greater role in the upbringing of their kids and they just lack the support to guide and control their kids. Let's assist families, not assail them."

Gloria asked him what parents should do then? Fox said "in this country we should be a little bit more broadminded when it comes to counseling" -- not just for children, but for families as well. And we need to upgrade the number of counselors we have in the school because they are in the best position to identify these problems.

Schieffer asked him why this keeps happening. Fox said it has a contagious effect and also because of the celebrity status it gives. "There are kids out there who are angry and hostile and they see this perhaps as their opportunity to get even as well." But we need to keep this in perspective: there is a greater chance for a kid to die on "a bicycle on the way to school than at school by an armed classmate. Let's be sensible about it." He believes "schools are actually the safest place in the lives of our kids. There is less crime in school than anywhere else."

Commercials: Bayer, Lotus IBM, Salomon Smith Barney.

Schieffer's final word was about how common this type of crime has become. "The excuses are always different but one thing remains constant: people who had no business with guns somehow found them. The gun lobby assures us that stricter gun laws would not have prevented [these crimes], and maybe they are right, but... if the kids who walked into that high school had been armed with baseball bats or even knives instead of guns, most of the children who died last week would still be alive." On commenting about what Dan Quayle said, that he hopes this will not be used as an excuse to go and take away guns, Schieffer said: "No offense, Mr. Quayle, but this ought to be an excuse -- an excuse to get to the bottom of things like this and see that they never happen again"

Good for you, Bob.

This Week

"One month of war... as NATO leaders converge on Washington... what is the next step? And... terror in Littleton, Colorado."

Cokie began by talking about the NATO summit, but admitting that "the story that is gripping the nation" was the Littleton massacre. San and Cokie spoke to an ABC reporter in Littleton who talked about an upcoming Sunday memorial service and new details of the story.

Sam and Cokie welcomed NATO Secretary Jaime Solana as their first guest. Question one from Sam: will there be an end to bombing and implementation of a Russian-brokered deal with Milosevic? Solana said that Serbian forces must leave Kosovo. There was a little back-and forth about NATO's plan to blockade oil shipments -- would NATO actually try to stop a Russian ship on the high seas? Solana said that an embargo will apply to everybody. Cokie talked about comments that "a blockade could lead to a world war" and Solana dismissed them -- rightly -- as out of the realm of reality.

Cokie asked if the Russians were needed for a political solution, and Solana said that their actions are helpful and he would like to see the possibility of more NATO-Russian collaboration. Cokie pressed Solana on whether Russia's participation was required, and Solana pressed his -- Russia's assistance is most welcome.

George Will, as he is often wont to do, focused in on a minutial "detail." In this case, it is a section of the NATO charter that recognizes the territorial lines of sovereign states. The point backfire on Will as Solana pointed out the instability within what remains of Yugoslavia and Milosevic's refusal to abode by agreements with Kosovo.

Cokie asked about the possibility of deploying ground troops, which gave Solana the opportunity to emphasize that the strategy is air campaigns and that other contingencies are "continuously updated." Not only is this a basic fact of modern military action (so much for "exit strategies"), but it is a message to Slobodan -- NATO reserves the right to use any appropriate action to end the carnage in Kosovo.

Solana did emphasize one issue -- that NATO wants to promote European stability, one including new nations that were spun off from the Soviet Union, and that they are working to foster improved relations with non-NATO European nations (meaning the Russian Republic).

Spots: GE (appliances), Invesco ("You should know what Invesco knows"), IBM ("Four dollars a square foot").

Next guest: Trent Lott. "He's been pretty quiet up until now."

What she meant: he's been cowering in his office trying to deflect attacks for being a de facto member of a racist hate group, the CCC.

There was a brief puff piece on Lott by Linda Douglass, and then Sam welcomed Lott, and asked him about Sen. John McCain's proposal for an "all necessary force" resolution. Lott replied with vague pap about "Congress do[ing] no harm [or providing] aid and comfort to Milosevic." He praised bombing being run by the military and "not some committee of NATO leaders," then asked about how the possible deployment of ground troops would "be brought to an acceptable conclusion."

Note the way in which Lott and most other GOPers have completely backed off criticizing Clinton -- and have abandoned the phony canard of "no exit strategy," a spin point that fell flat and made them look like fools.

Lott said that he would welcome Russia's help in effecting a diplomatic solution -- and was asked by Will about a report in Roll Call concerning a GOP strategy of declaring Kosovo a "Clinton/Gore war." Bad move on Will's part -- because Lott and the GOP now realize that because of the bombing, a quasi-military solution involving peacekeepers stands a strong chance of working, and he wants to deprive Gore of "victory coattails."

There was some pointless discussion of how "NATO would compromise" its requirements for an end to bombing. Lott only made Clinton and NATO look good when he said that "We [the U.S.] are the facilitators."

Cokie returned to the issue of the McCain bill, and Lott looked uncomfortable as he practically begged McCain to back off -- knowing full well that as a presidential contender McCain won't.

And therein lies the rub -- Lott is under attack from both outside and within his party. He leads the small Senate faction of greatly weakened hard-righters, and McCain and the other moderates are on the rise -- big time, we think. There is already talk of a major rebellion within the GOP at the national level -- with the goal of replacing the leadership in both houses of Congress. Despite the respect afforded by Cokie, Sam and Will, Lott is no longer the powerhouse he was last year -- battered by a failed impeachment coup, a move to the center by GOP governors, and his own ties to a racist group.

Sam asked Lott about House GOPers saying that Social Security reform is dead this year. Lott looked foolish by saying that Clinton had "sidestepped" the issue -- knowing full well that the politics of the Social Security issue are far more complex than that, and that Clinton used a very clever political ploy to make the GOP look like the villains on Social Security and sink their own plan to privatize Social Security.

Spots: Dean Witter, GE, ABC Shows.

A taped interview between Cokie and Tipper Gore followed. Cokie's first ham-handed question: "were these kids sick?" Tipper answered instead with her own reaction to the shootings -- shock and heartsickness. It was a touchy-feely interview at first, allowing Tipper to talk about her support for mental health programs and initiatives -- and ending the stigma associated with seeking mental health.

If only she'd gone a little deeper -- people who have sought mental health and therapy are regularly attacked and even mocked by conservatives and the religious right. Well, folks, Jesus didn't do a whole lot for those shooters' mental health, did he?

Tipper also talked a great deal about a "toxic culture" -- but did not entirely put the blame on video games, even though she did discuss the violent nature of many of them. She did not come out and blamed the Reagan Years and conservative "values" for fostering the toxic culture and gun proliferation -- but certainly hinted at it.

And here is our next prediction: look for liberals and Democrats to open their own front in the so-called "culture wars," with Littleton as the catalyst. The reframing of the issue will include gun proliferation and the conservative position of marginalizing (when not outright mocking) people with problems rather than emphasizing, listening and helping as a prime example. And yes, Ken Starr and the effort to oust Clinton will be brought into the fray and exposed for what they are -- not only an attempt to subvert the law, but an undermining of American culture and values, inviting lawlessness and hate.

Not-so-great moments from the roundtable!
Will: "You would not have a trench coat mafia if there were school uniforms." Well, you wouldn't have a bullying A&F Army of jocks either!
George Stephanopoulos ridiculed blaming video games and nailed the real issues: the proliferation of handguns.
Cokie talked about the shooters "glorifying Nazis" -- but somehow forgot to mention that one of the shooters turns out to have been Jewish himself! That's right -- Klebold's mom is Jewish, which makes the crazed, German-speaking, Ramstein-fueled gunman a Jew!
Sam: "No one would consider killing people with a shotgun when I was a kid." What a liar!
Bill Kristol said that the story "that will resonate" is that of the girl who was praying and killed by one of the gunmen. But we'd point out that that story is already being circulated by evangelical mailing lists at the expense of the greater story -- a transparent attempt to warp this into some kind of religious issue over the dead bodies of children.
Cokie surprised us when she said that "jocks who picked on marginalized kids also should be taken to task." Kudos to Cokie for being the only pundit to point this out -- but she should have gone further. Kids don't act that way unless they have permissive parents and/or a culture that glorifies strength over weakness, as you'd see in, say, the very conservative town of Littleton, Colorado -- or a rally in Nuremberg.

After the break, talk turned to NATO -- and Sam claimed that "so far the strategy has failed." Baloney -- Milosevic is battered, and Sam damn well knows it. Sam then tried to embarrass not only Clinton but NATO, using a Washington Post headline: "NATO Amends Conditions".

Well, gee, Sam, after a month of bombing with NO loss of American life, Slobodan without oil, Serb forces stuck in Kosovo, you're SHOCKED that NATO changed conditions for a resolution of the matter?

The talk circulated around ground troops, with Steph, Kristol, Sam and Will all dissing Clinton -- so predictable and so boring.

Kristol made fun of his comment of a few weeks ago that Conservative Republicans were acting like McGovern Democrats -- then complimented McGovern for opposing Vietnam "out of principle." What a snake -- Kristol doesn't give a flying toss about Kosovars, and is battering Clinton with their dead bodies. Kristol has all the principle of Albert Speer.

After spots for GE and First Union, Sam and Cokie did the customary plugs for ABC news shows. We'll make sure to miss them.

The "Mc-Laugh-In" Group

We swore we would never cover John McLaughlin again -- but then thought better of it when McLaughlin's own people begged us to do it. We agreed -- but we also asked for a doctor's referral that McLaughlin was still sane!

NATO was "issue one." McLaughlin, living in the past, wondered why we have NATO to begin with: "Shall we keep it, or let it fade away?"

We decided we would simply choose quotes from each participant to give you an idea of how ludicrous this show really is. See if you can figure what they were discussing -- we sure couldn't!

Michael Barone

The U.S. is the Single Super Power. No, we will not deploy ground troops.

Eleanor Clift

We need a regional policeman in Europe. Europe will take a larger role in their own protection. They are bringing moral values to the wars they are fighting. We are not lowering ourselves to Milosevic's level. We are not committing genocide. George W. Bush has a bill on his desk right now that would disallow suing gun manufacturers for this kind of thing.

John McLaughlin

Wars in Europe are usually European against European. You cannot have guns and butter. Why don't we get a peace dividend? We will be in Kosovo for a decade!

Will there be a 60th birthday for NATO? Everyone said yes. Thus, the entire discussion was meaningless -- except that McLaughlin thinks that NATO will not exist in ten years. What a moron -- he simply doesn't get it. McLaughlin also believes that Russia will join a new European "War Alliance!"

McLaughlin began expounding again: "A light to the oncoming Kosovo Tunnel? Russian-Yugoslav Peace Fever -- can Clinton save face and work a deal?"

What face saving does he need, we ask!

John continued his incessant blustering: "NATO High Value Targets! Milosevic's house and Belgrade's newest and tallest office building. Some think it will only backfire. Is the United States brutalizing the Yugoslav People by bombing quasi-civilian targets? When do you cross that line?"

He called the Kosovo war a "brush fire" -- then brought up bombing the dikes in North Vietnam. McLaughlin is now becoming a moralist over war! "Will we deploy ground troops?... Let's go after the KLA!"

After the break, John turned to "the deadliest teenage attack in school in history. 15 dead, more than a dozen wounded." McLaughlin seemed concerned that this was watched by an international audience. "How does mental illness like this develop without the parents and schools knowing about it?"

Tony Blankley

(On Kosovo): Defend offensively. Clinton and Gore want to weasel out of a ground war. (Gee, Tony, wasn't Clinton against a ground war from the start? Yes he was, and yes he is.) I am worried that Clinton is bombing TV shows he doesn't like. No, we have not crossed the line. Clinton may stumble into a ground war. Columbine was caused by "original sin."

Lawrence O'Donnell

We should be using our NATO money to help Russia. Milosevic will come our way. No ground war. Tony is right about Columbine.

Meet The Press

"Columbine High School... the war in Kosovo... ground troops in Kosovo... what influence does violence in media have on children? Why would the shooters kill their teacher and classmates?"

Russert first welcomed Janet Reno and began with this patently stupid question: "Will the people responsible for this [shooting at Columbine High School] be brought to Justice?" We were beside ourselves with laughter as Tim asked whether the parents should be held liable for this. Reno replied that she thinks everyone can do something about this, including the Federal Government, giving some examples. Of course, they seem hollow in the atmosphere of this tragedy.

Russert said these boys were "consumed" by violent video games and asked whether we need a Federal law that would make it mandatory that one must be 21 to buy one. This was another howler! We ask you -- is Russert enough of a plain-as-day ultra-right-winger or not?

Reno ignored this second moronic question. But Russert kept going: should parents be liable for their children having guns? Reno said she thinks that the factual situation would determine this, and does not think that the Internet is at fault -- it is what we teach our kids.

She is right, of course. The answers of limiting and change, she added, do not go to the hard issue of raising our children the right way. We have to listen, to communicate, find out what their problems are, and we can make a difference.

Bravo. Reno proved that she has more virtue than "virtues czar" Bill Bennett or "new moralist pope" Bill Kristol.

Russert wanted to know "if we will have metal detectors and armed guards in schools." Russert, stupid as he is, seems not to know that many schools -- especially inner-city schools -- already have both. And, of course, he does not focus on the lower economic classes. He is worried about HIS children, not yours.

"The students told me that they wanted people to know that kids have something to say and that they want to contribute, want to do something worthwhile and that most of all it is a good something," said the attorney General.

Ain't that the truth! The ridiculous talk we've heard all week about what happened in Littleton, Colorado is just that. There is nothing we can do but be the best parents we can. Craziness cannot be outlawed.

The mandatory GE and ADM commercials followed. This time ADM focused on the Warsaw Pact (hey, Dwayne, what Warsaw Pact? Once Yeltsin took power, they dissolved faster than the World Football League!) and that they need to "feed them anyway." These spots need laugh tracks! By the way, have you noticed that Cargill -- ADM's main competitor -- is now doing "public service" advertising as well? Morgan Stanley was next, followed by another GE commercial.

Tony Blair was the next guest. What a strange man -- at times he seems almost like an animated puppet!

An, of course, he toed the NATO line. Russert asked him about NATO's "softening position." Blair said ALL Milosevic's troops must be out of Kosovo. Period. He said he does not believe in a partition of Kosovo and does not like the idea of ground troops; however he is looking for an assessment of their use. Beyond that he would not go into details about strategy.

Russert tried to buffalo him with a comment by German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder -- it doesn't work. Russert asked whether Kosovars can live in peace as long as Milosevic remains in power. Blair said that if he stays, it will be more difficult, and that he thinks that evidence will be presented to the European war crimes tribunal that will show no doubt of Milosevic's appalling brutality against Kosovars.

Russert asked if we will stop Russian ships with oil bound for Serbia. Blair would not get drawn in to this discussion. However, he did say that the economic sanctions will "really bite."

Russert wanted to no how long NATO should prepare to be in the region. Blair wouldn't discuss time limits -- "when it's done," was his answer. Russert said there are still Americans in Haiti and Bosnia. Funny how he didn't mention that in Haiti we have only a couple hundred men!

Russert then asked how Clinton and Schroeder -- who were both involved in protesting Vietnam -- can now be fighting in Kosovo. Here Blair stumbled and did not take the question -- but did say why American mothers should send their sons to fight in this area. In that respect he did a good job, and he amplified the point by saying that the world has yet to understand global security. If the whole of the Balkan region exploded, a short distance from Italy, France, Germany, we could never control that conduct. Isolation does not work.

Russert then welcomed Pat Puchanan, who began predictably by saying that there is no vital American interest in Kosovo -- it is not our problem -- Kosovo does not belong to us -- "This is an unjust war" -- and has become a war to save NATO's face. Russert then turned to Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT), who said he is pained to hear Puchanan.

So were we.

Lieberman spoke of the painful lessons we learned from Hitler and Stalin: "Those acts assault our values. We are more than a piece of real estate. We are being grotesquely undervalued. Now is the time to stand by our principles and our allies."

Puchanan, is of course, hoping that this war goes out of control so he can win more than 1% of the national vote. He brought up Ronald Reagan to save himself. Puchanan said he blames the U.S. for the massive ethnic cleansing -- and Russert didn't say a word!

Unbelievable.

Puchanan calls Tony Blair the "Mouse that roared... It is not going to be British troops humping up that road, it is going to be American boys."

We say keep bombing them -- no ground troops -- then Puchanan and his whiny isolationist compadres will be neutralized.

Puchanan claimed twice that NATO bombing caused the ethnic cleansing. On the second occasion, Lieberman spoke up and said that Puchanan is outrageous, then correctly pointed out that Milosevic had troops lined up on the Kosovo border ready to "cleanse" when we began bombing! He reminded the stupid Puchanan that Reagan fought hardest to stop Russia from being like Serbia is acting now. Puchanan tried to say that we have "ignited" the greatest human rights tragedy in history. Ha, ha, haha, ha! I guess Puchanan is anti-American now. Lieberman reminded Puchanan that a third world war would loom should we not intervene.

But Puchanan would not stop -- he said we made a blunder and should "end it." This gave Lieberman -- now a hawk -- an opening to keep hammering at Puchanan, which he did. Russert then asked whether it is time for ground troops. Lieberman said he hopes not -- but if it takes ground troops, we must use them, and he thinks we should also begin to deploy them to the region to be ready to strike.

Puchanan said he thinks that the only thing at stake is NATO's credibility -- and in his view that's the problem. "Cut the best deal we can," said Puchanan. In short, Buchanan wants the U.S. and NATO to surrender to Milosevic. Don't forget that.

Commercials for Xerox, The New York Stock Exchange, Lucent Technologies, and Toyota followed.

Tipper Gore was next, talking about Columbine High School. As with her ABC This Weak appearance, this interview was pre-recorded. Russert wanted to know, again, if video games and music caused this violence. Tipper took a careful position -- yes, if the kid is already isolated and playing video games or listening to violent music, and the entertainment industry should ask themselves that question, but we need to give kids at risk access to mental health care if needed. Russert suggested a summit for the entertainment industry at the White House to "solve" this problem. This was ludicrous and crudely funny -- Tim has morphed into Bill Bennett Jr. What a freak!

Instead of falling into Russert's mess, Gore said that she talks to kids who are ashamed to seek help from mental health professionals -- and that this is a large problem. And she is right on the money on this point. Lack of counseling for kids and follow-through to make sure that they are able to deal with their problems is nothing less than a national scandal.

But Russert, looking and sounding clueless, kept attacking the entertainment industry. "How to you get these companies and tell them to stop this?" Russert must have some pretty lame or twisted kids to be worried so much about this. If that's all he's doing about the problem, then his own kids might well be the next Trenchcoaters.

The President talked about the culture of violence and Tipper agrees that it is there -- but she suggests that parents consider what their children are watching, doing, and that they decide together what to do. She kept harking back to a point discussed little this week: looking for early warning signs in children, again hitting the nail on the head.

Joe Lieberman said he thinks that an entertainment summit should be held. How stupid! Of course, what it would end up becoming would be a Government Censorship Summit, a much more dangerous thing than the horror committed by two insane teens. But Lieberman wants the gun industry included and the establishment of a national commission on youth violence. Lieberman would call for a Surgeon General's Report on Violence in the Media: "Let's have a credible report on this matter."

Bill Bennett, of course, said the entertainment industry should be asked, not ask themselves, why they have to show people being slashed, murdered and maimed. He said he wants a bounty on guns owned by kids, and that he thinks it is a time for some very hard questions to be asked at home: "Where were the parents? Why didn't someone pay attention?" He "guaranteed" that if kids were carrying Bibles around school and saying "Hail to the Prince of Piece" they would have been "called in." Of course, Bennett forgets to mention that everyone -- including the teachers and the administration at that school -- knew darn well what was going on with those lunatic kids. It was they who should have done something immediately --- it is they who should be tried and executed for these deaths.

One of the panel members pointed out to Russert that blacks and Hispanics have been killed wholesale in inner city schools for decades, but no one cares -- including Russert, who we've never heard bring this fact up before.

Puchanan stands up for the gun industry. He said he thinks the President should stand up against the entertainment industry. He said he thinks that religion should be brought back into the schools --"where it has been replaced by Satan." Can be more ridiculous? We're sure he'll find a way.

Russert then quoted cross-dressing rock star Marilyn Manson (a guy, for those of you not familiar with his oeuvre), then asked whether we should "muzzle" Manson and the like.

Well, readers, we told you that fascism was on the way. Wait and see what will happen next!

Bill Bennett, an unreconstructed Neo-Nazi pawning himself off as the self-appointed "conscience" of America, said that parents must "force" their way into your kids lives. His wife asked three kids who were wearing tee shirts with "I Love Death" on them -- and asked them ":What are you wearing those tee shirts with skulls on them?" Of course, he didn't say what they replied. He did say his 14-year-old son was afraid he would have to take all three of them on.

How can three intelligent adults sit around with Tim Russert discussing the most ridiculous Band-Aids for something far more entrenched and unchecked: the impact of the ultra-right and Neofascism on America?

If this week's Meet the Press is any indication, we are all in very deep trouble.

CNN Lame Edition

Wolf opened a "special" 2-hour Lame Edition -- CNN never gives advance notice on expanded editions of the program.

First Blitzer gave a good 45 minutes to Yugoslav Propaganda ministers. It is absolutely shameful that Blitzer would give the Serbs the sort of credibility that would allow them to perpetuate their lies and deceit, not to mention their "blame the victim" strategy.

Instead of any responsibility being put at Milosevic, it's all NATO's fault, and so all President Clinton's fault, said a Yugo-ratchik. Would Wolf give Hess or Himmler such an interview so that they could blame the Jews and the U.S. for their problems -- and deny the existence of their death camps?

Blitzer set up President Clinton to look like a bully, first quoting the President, then asking the Yugoslav official "how do you react?" Come on, what the hell is the guy going to say? "Oh, yes, president Clinton is correct." Give me a break. All he is doing is perpetuating their propaganda.

Blitzer then introduced Sen. John Warner as "honest, forthright" etc. -- then asked if the air campaign in failing. Warner said you're "not serving our pilots by saying that the air campaign is failing." Touche!

Blitzer: and should we have been there in the first place? great -- another backhanded attack on the administration under the guise of "others are asking."

He then introduced Sen. Levin, with noticeably no such accolades as given to Warner, who said "the problem in Kosovo has been more of a hamper of the weather," and even in other actions "you always have the air campaign proceed any other movement."

On the question of the KLA being fortified, Levin replied "we cannot arm the KLA because of the embargo. If we do, then we only give the Russians the green light to arm the Serbs."

Warner adds: "I agree and we must keep NATO united."

The first real laugh came when Blitzer (in all seriousness) showed a clip of Lott saying "ground troops don't necessarily mean that we have to have U.S. troops involved." I mean, come on, that's the most ludicrous statement of the day... or is it?

Warner: "It's a diplomatic possibility."

Blitzer "But US ground troops wouldn't be acceptable to Milosevic."

Levin: "It's not up to Milosevic." In response to the Yugoslav representative earlier, Levin adds "the Yugoslav media should demand to go to Kosovo and witness the burning villages themselves, and talk to the refugees."

Blitzer: "Thank you both, and I assure you that my colleagues over there are trying to do just that but those requests have been rejected."

Can we say in unison "WHAT???????"

First of all, I'm glad that Blitzer finally acknowledged that he is a "colleague" of those who perpetuate propaganda. It's refreshing that he is being so honest now. Let's see -- the Serb TV bombards their citizens with images of President Clinton and Secretary of State Albright as Nazis (symbols and all), and don't say one word about "requests to go to Kosovo being rejected." They blame all atrocities on NATO and the U.S. -- not mentioning the genocidal ethnic cleansing machine they have unleashed on non-Serb Kosovars, not mentioning that there were hundreds of thousands prior to the bombing who were fleeing, not mentioning how more and more reports are surfacing about young women raped and men over the age of 16 being rounded up and "disappeared," not mentioning mass graves.

But Blitzer considers these Serb reporters to be "colleagues." Kind of like him ambushing the President at a joint News Conference with the question about Lewinsky that shouldn't have been asked and being the tool of the Republican Right Wingnuts by hounding the President, asking inappropriate inanities, and totally ignoring the facts that Scaife, Starr, Goldberg, Tripp, Fund and others were creating one the biggest conspiracies in U.S. history. He totally ignored the fact that the hard-righters in Congress set the Impeachment Steamroller Express into motion -- while denigrating the President over private matters of sex.

Yes, I can see where Blitzer would call Serb reporters colleagues.

Blitzer asked Warner if $6 billion would be enough, Warner replied "we'll give more like $10 billion, which will send a strong message to Milosevic that we support our Commander-in-Chief and our troops, and NATO."

I thought that Warner's statement was the most important message of all, since he -- without hesitation and without denigration -- referred to our President as Commander-in-Chief. Bravo! I thank him for that.

Blitzer then tried to create partisanship answers by asking Levin if the Democrats would go along with the massive funding, with Levin replying "the Democrats will support and all will work to avoid being drawn into another world war."

Blitzer seemed to forget that it has been the Republican leadership that has dragged their heals on this, people like Kay Bailey Hutchison who wanted to "discuss" rather than take action.

Then they switched to Colorado incident.

Blitzer: "Is there anything that the government can do to help?"

Warner: "New packs of laws won't help. It's up to the families and schools. Crimes of this age group are dramatically going down."

Levin: "Continue to stand up to the NRA and their powerful lobby buying out Congress, and get rid of guns with no sporting value."

The next guests were Bill Bennett and Education Secretary Richard Riley:

Blitzer asked Bennett, "What has been the cost of these tragedies?"

Bennett talked about the "cost of bad parenting," access to firepower, teenagers immersed in a "culture of death" and the encroachment of evil in their lives. "The games and movies don't show the true effects of killing, and indeed makes killing fun."

Bennett then brought up an idea that some states are using: giving money for information on kids with guns with a $100- to $500-per-individual bounty on guns.

Riley: "After the fact, the government can provide psychological help... but as far as preventative, we produced a manual called 'Early Warning Guide.'"

Blitzer: "The two suspects fit the bill of all of the warning signs. What happened, did they fall through the cracks?"

Riley: "Everyone needs to do more. As President Clinton said, 'Students have a responsibility to report trouble and must reach out.'"

Wolf welcomed psychologist Alvin Poussaint, who said, "It's much more volatile, murders of ages 14-17 are skyrocketing. There's more depression."

Blitzer: "Sign of an epidemic?"

Bennett said there was a "certain kind, copy-cat, movies, music, TV news."

But Bennett quickly "excuses the news because it's their job to report" the violence.

Blitzer asked about the "Internet and games such as Doom."

Poussaint: "These games reward for kills, making it fun and hard for troubled kids to distorted perceptions."

Blitzer: "Can government regulate games and access?"

Bennett: "The makers of such games refuse to testify before Congress. They should be made to explain why they feel that they must produce such graphic games."

Blitzer asked Poussaint if there might be a "scientific cause," and Poussant said, "Yes, through causation; cumulative scripting of our kids for violence, glorified killing to the point where kids will just giggle when seeing death on screen or in a game."

Blitzer then mentioned the possibility of a "first amendment tightrope." Riley said that "...in a free society it is not possible to ban such games or movies. But, we need is a consumer movement against violence glorification." He also added, much to our surprise, that we "need to allow kids to carry bibles into school. Allow religion, let kids talk about religion without forcing their religion on others."

Excuse me, but the very reason that these "trench coat kids" targeted some of the religious kids was because they felt persecuted by them -- another clique that excluded children and created feelings of persecution by those of other religions. Religion in school - Bible study in school - is not the answer. A moment of silence in the morning is one thing -- but the minute you allow kids to isolate themselves and others because of what religion they choose to follow is a mistake.

The inane roundtable discussion with regular panelists Steve Roberts, Susan Page and Tucker Carlson started with Wolf asking about gun control.

Steve: "Riley is absolutely right saying that it's the parents' responsibility. Gun control can matter and make a difference... can be effective."

Blitzer seized yet another opportunity to backhand the Administration with a "question" to a fellow Clinton-basher: "Tucker, do you think there'll be a lot of hot air out from the Administration in the next few weeks?"

Tucker: "There will definitely be at least some. Now all Republicans will be on the defensive - because the liberals will use grotesque political opportunism."

Look who's talking -- one of the most opportunistic, snide hard-right pundits in the business.

Blitzer: "The President has been accused now as in earlier instances of grotesque political opportunism. Susan, do you agree?"

Susan: "the President is perfectly justified in the statements that he's made. He is after all our Commander-in-Chief and our moral leader. It is his place to do so. It is up to parents to control the games and movies that kids are accessing."

Blitzer then turned to Kosovo, once again trying to backhand the Administration by asserting that President Clinton is "watching the polls" -- as if Trent Lott and Dennis Hastert aren't doing the very same thing.

Blitzer: "Approval's down from impeachment days." Of course, Wolf had to make mention of impeachment -- you could sense his yearning for those heady days!

Carlson: "The numbers will continue to decline."

Blitzer: "Is he polling the war?"

Page: "[There's] no evidence of polling the war, but he's not being the decisive leader he should be."

Excuse me, Susie, but do you want him to offend the other leaders of NATO nations??

They kept confusing -- or purposely trying to confuse -- viewers by portraying President Clinton as the only decision-maker of NATO policies. BZZZZZZ!! The President rightly acknowledged "going along with this" or "giving consent for that." This isn't just America's war -- and President Clinton is NOT the "supreme leader" of NATO.

Steve: "The oxygen is being sucked out from Al Gore's campaign. This is hurting Al Gore."

Well, gee, it seems the only people overly concerned with poll numbers and campaigns are Wolf, Steve, tucker and Susan!

Tucker: "Because he doesn't have the insider information, George W. Bush figures he's safest staying out of it."

Remember when I said I wondered if Lott's comment was the most laughable, if not ludicrous of the day?

Well, it wasn't.

Bruce Morton -- in his "Final Word" -- gave Gary Bauer the leadoff with this statement at a press conference regarding the Colorado massacre:

"This is the fault of legalized abortion."

I can't tell you how ridiculous he looked by saying that -- and how hard most viewers must have been laughing.

Morton then replied: "But was there less violence when women had to go to back-door clinics? There has always been violence on TV, there have been violence in comics..."

But Morton must be living in a dream world! There is no way you can compare comics of today like "Spawn" to, say, "Superman." You cannot compare shows in the 70's like All in the Family (the most controversial program of its day) to the "reality"-based police chase shows of today, to talk shows such as that hosted by Jerry Springer that tacitly advocate beating the crap out of anybody you don't like because that's how you'll get the attention -- and get on the air. You cannot tell me that when Ronald Reagan was accused of rape, it was hushed up -- and compare that with a false claim of rape against the President being splashed across the headlines because lesser charges of sexual impropriety didn't achieve the objective of getting him ousted.

You cannot tell me that video games like Centipede compare with games like Doom. And from what I hear, there are now games that make Doom look like a walk through Disney World. The real question is: when are we going to force parents to be responsible? Amazing how we stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons, but refuse to stop the proliferation of violence at home that perpetuate hatred, violence and bigotry.

-- ---The Editors and Pundit Pap Team