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Pundits Can't Stand Pat, Defend Ol' Dutch
by The Editors
Sunday, September 26, 1999 -- NEW YORK/WASHINGTON--In a sort of anti-harmonic convergence, ABC, NBC and the Fox Network managed to run their Sunday shows at the same time--9 AM--because NBC was carrying some golf match from Europe. So we managed to catch Eat the Press and McLaugh-In, and will be catching Fox News Sunday later this afternoon on satellite. We'll give Sam and Cokie a rest this week--mostly because of their grade-B guest list (three points off for inviting the irrelevant soon-to-retire Pat Moynihan, but one point back for having Philly Mayor Ed Rendell, a great guy who is about to become DNC chair).
The pundits were obsessing over two people and two books this Sunday. Obsession one was Pat Buchanan, who has unleashed a torrent of hot air in the Beltway over assertions made in a new book; in second place was Ronald Reagan, who is depicted in the new "official" Edmund Morris bio, Dutch, as being a few Cheerios short of a full bowl.
The McLaugh-In Grope
Trying to save Pat Pukeanan's sorry reputation!
Mad John McLaugh-In led for the first time in a while with a real red-meat, hot-button topic: Pat BuKKKnan having called John McCain "a liar" in response to McCain's slamming Pat's views on World War II as stated in his new book, It's Mein Kampf, Dammit!…er, A Republic, Not an Empire, John recounted McCain "lashing out" against Pat on Tuesday--"a dispute that is heating up the airwaves and fax machines."
Fax machines? Jeez, John--ever heard of the Internet? E-mail?
You could hear the contempt for McCain in John's voice as he attempted to prop up his old pal Pat's reputation, running enough footage of Buchanan--including Pat's yammering about the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor--that McCain should demand equal time and matching funds from GE Grand Wizard Jack Welch!
Michael Barone, who came across as a few fries short of a Happy Meal, said that Pat was "endorsing" the view of other politicians and historians. Good grief-- now Barone is a Buchanan defender! Eleanor Clift, citing Pat's isolationist stand, said that McCain was correct--and we don't need Pat's version of "this appeasement" in the White House. Tony Blankley said it was dumb of Pat to mention Hitler in a political context--he was opening himself up to political attack.
John cited a "towering" historian named Alan Taylor. Right--a "towering" genius who shares Pat's neo-fascist and isolationist leanings. We can tell you that Taylor does for history what Laffer did for economics. John was trying to make a case for Pat's argument that Hitler was not a threat to the US as of 1941. But David Corn fired back at John's assertion that Neville Chamberlain "started the chain of events." Corn cited Pearl Harbor as the reason America needed to get into the fight against Hitler. And Barone attacked Taylor as just another BBC gasbag!
"Apology time!" John ran a tape of Pat huffily demanding an apology from John McCain. What a riot--we say that McCain should instead personally kick Pat's butt!
Eleanor said that McCain should NOT apologize, but Tony said McCain SHOULD apologize on the Pearl Harbor issue, but NOT on the Hitler issue! John said that McCain "mischaracterized" what Pat wrote in his book--but we can tell you this is just not true, and John and Pat are both parsing words in this "demand."
John then (predictably) decried NATO interventionism in Kosovo, ridiculously comparing it to intervening during WWII! Somebody get McLaugh-In his Ritalin, and quick! Once again Corn was left to correct Mad John, pointing out the sizable differences between the two situations. Corn sounded almost angry at John--as would anyone with a brain. And even Barone had to admit, "We don't really know what was in Hitler's mind."
John came back with "you're comparing hypotheticals with what Pat said." But John, Pat's book is so full of hypotheticals and stretches of the facts that he gives Ken Starr a run for his money!
Then John played another sound bite from Pat, this one attacking Bill Kristol: "Kristol runs that dinky little magazine run by Rupert Murdoch… [they] fear [I'll] take the conservative movement and bring it to the Reform party!"
We were laughing out loud at the notion of BuKKKanan "taking over" the conservative movement. Conservatives in the GOP have long seen Pat as a bigot and marginalizer--and all the calls for Pat to "stay" in the GOP notwithstanding, most Republicans in a position of influence (save perhaps Tom DeLay and Trent Lott) are thrilled to have the opportunity to give Pat the heave-ho!
Eleanor said it was "a pleasure to have Pat back as a panelist" on McLaugh-In! We--and John's panel--were roaring out loud with laughter! We'll point out that Pat had twice the actual blab time that Eleanor had been granted by the bloviating McLaugh-In.
John then turned to the claim by some minor academic that Kosovo was a failure--and Corn said he loved to hear Pat talk because it was the equivalent of convening "a circular firing squad!" We loved it! John cited the same pseudo-scholar who played down the importance of China both economically and in international influence. Barone broke through the yelling (and there was more yelling than usual this week on the McLaugh-In Group) and cited the possible military threat of China a decade down the line.
Corn also slammed Buchanan for calling America a "European" nation and making a fuss about immigration.
John then asked the panel if Pat was an anti-Semite! Here's where we lost all respect for the panel. Barone--no, even though some of his comments seem to hint at it. Eleanor--no, even though he uses code words that appeal to rightists. Tony--no. David--Pat is a "tribalist." John--of course not.
It was pretty sickening. Talk about covering for your pals…
Following ten minutes of treacly, whitebread GE commercials showing affluent suburban whites and hard-pressed minority kids looking for mentors, John turned to "Issue Two"--Moynihan Bombshell! Moynihan said that Gore "cannot be elected." John added that three Senators have endorsed Bradley. Is Gore electable?
Barone--conceivably, yeah. Eleanor--Moynihan said Clinton was unelectable! Tony--Gore is very electable and formidable. Corn--sitting VPs are always electable. John--"of course he's electable."
Of course, John had not given one reason, so we will give you two: Bradley is peaking early--way too early for his own good. And Gore's campaign team is a disaster.
If Gore's smart, he'll fire the whole team and start from scratch.
Inane predictions!
Barone--charges of fraud in the Reform Party presidential nomination process! (We're shocked, Mike, shocked!)
Eleanor--gun lawsuits plaintiffs will be joined by a spinal injury group!
Corn--Beatty will not take himself out of consideration for a Presidential run!
Tony--gas prices up!
John--"electric guitar player" Martin O'Malley will be the next mayor of Baltimore!
Eat the Press
starring Tim "Puerto Rican Hater" Russert
  A recent American Politics Journal poll named Tim Russert the worst political pundit today. |
"Gore versus Bradley has turned into a real primary fight," said Tim Russert, who then called up pointless New Hampshire poll numbers showing Bradley ahead.
A real primary fight? Try "a primary fight we in the media are trying our damnedest to create!"
Energy Secretary Bill Richardson responded by saying "there is nothing wrong with the [Gore] campaign." But he couldn't be further from the truth. Gore's campaign team is floundering. He should can the entire gang of idiots.
Senator Paul Wellstone said that Bradley "is calling on all of us to be our best selves… he represents a good change for our country." Wellstone, of course, avoided the numbers and the dreaded "L" word--you still cannot use the word liberal on pundit TV without being painted as a socialist.
Tim then ran the now-notorious Moynihan "Gore is unelectable" sound bite--as if Moynihan, a doddering retiring Senator who finds himself more and more irrelevant with each passing day, has any clout.
Richardson once again was asked a question by Tim to put him on the defensive--and this time he got it right, reciting a litany of Gore's strengths as a policy builder and planner. Wellstone said that Bradley was "connecting with people… people can trust him"--a slam at whether Gore can be trusted.
Tim then turned to his favorite public pastime, Clinton-bashing, and asked about "Clinton fatigue… are people sick and tired? What is Clinton fatigue?" The question backfired as Wellstone said that the impeachment backfired--but then he said the people were tired of hearing about "these things."
Well, Paul, maybe because what they were hearing was coming from "journalists" like Tim Russert--and turned out to be lies. What else could "Clinton fatigue" be but complete disgust for the manner in which Russert and his chummy Beltway pals have lied about Clinton for the last year and a half? The real problem is Russert Fatigue.
Following another inane and snotty "Clinton fatigue" question, Richardson predicted that Gore would face "an untested candidate" as primary time moved on. Wellstone said that Bradley's health care proposal would be "bold"--but more importantly, Wellstone played up the words "trust" and "believe."
Tim also tried to "tokenize" Richardson by asking about the Hispanic vote--and whether a "Gore-Bill Richardson ticket" would draw more Hispanics. Richardson gracefully sidestepped Russert's near-race-baiting.
Tim then tried to create a scandal--saying that "U.S. taxpayer money" sent to Russia to destroy nukes was being "siphoned off"--as if the Clinton Administration were doing nothing about it or, perhaps, is to blame. It was a pretty weak try--better that "U.S. taxpayer money" be used in an attempt to de-nuke the former Soviet Union than do nothing at all, we say. Tim's "Red baiting" was pathetic.
"I don't know what it is, but I think it has something to do with me" - Ronnie Reagan telling Nancy about a pottery White House, a friend put in his office fish tank, which he took out and had clenched in his hand when he walked into the house..
The second segment was a discussion of the new "official" Reagan biography by Edmund Morris, Dutch. The panelists were a lineup of ex-Reagan-team felons and handlers: Ed Meese, Michael Deaver, Lyn Nofziger, and Marlin Fitzwater (the last being one of the few honest men in the Reagan Administration).
The discussion amounted to nothing more than an unabashed love-fest for St. Ronnie.
Deaver said that he was impressed by what he read--but he was surprised at "the assertion" that "cold" blood transfusions "changed" Reagan forever.
Well, no kidding, Mike--because that's not entirely what Morris said.
Tim then pulled up a "tribute" to Reagan by the author--"the greatest and most incorrupt figure I have met." What an ironic laugh--especially with Meese and Nofziger in attendance! Perhaps Reagan was not overtly corrupt--but to let double-dealing crooks like Meese and Nofziger call the shots doesn't exactly cast Ronnie as Mr. Incorrupt.
Tim asked Meese about the "airhead" label the author had given Reagan--and Meese said it was "unfair." Jeez--what a laugh! If you didn't see it, try to picture Meese trying to cast Reagan as some kind of brain. And observing Tim ask about Morris's more critical comments was a study in bias--soft-pedaling the questions about "these uncomplimentary things" was in blatant contrast to the "Clinton is guilty" (despite all evidence to the contrary) tenor of Tim's approach to issues concerning the current Administration.
Deaver defended Reagan's "aloofness" by claiming that Reagan found himself a boring subject and was a very private guy. "Do you feel you know Reagan?" Deaver said yes.
To Nofziger: "Reagan--why such an enigma?" Nofziger recalled his years with Reagan, saying he had been close to the man. "He was an interesting man… certainly a non-airhead… you could talk to him… [he was] never above hearing good advice."
Of course, that's all he ever repeated back in public--other people's "advice," be it that of Nofziger, Meese or Deaver as re-scripted by Peggy Noonan or someone else on his team.
Meese tried to bolster Reagan's stature by claiming that Reagan had to "deal with" leaders such as Gorbachev and Thatcher.
There was also much talk of Reagan's experience as an actor--and Tim mentioned Reagan's savvy as his own best imagemaker. But this is not completely true: in 1980, Reagan was having trouble in his home state and had to hire in a team of imagemakers to boost his floundering campaign, including ad guru Elliott Curson and polling wizard Jeff Koopersmith. In some ways, Reagan was in the same boat as Gore is now--his "inside" team was failing.
Tim then showed video of the 1981 assassination attempt--and then talked about the fact that Reagan was indeed near death. Nofziger admitted as much, citing not only the loss of blood but a serious infection that followed. Tim then played footage of Nofziger saying that Clinton was in "good and stable condition" shortly after he had come out of surgery Oddly, Meese tried to play down the "sense of drama" in the incident.
Tim then quoted Morris again--this time, the assertion that the Bushes felt they were being treated as "downstairs people." The entire Reagan team said that they didn't see it--essentially denying Morris's conclusion in order to suck up to Dubya.
Then Tim brought up Iran-Contra--and the claim that Reagan decided before cancer surgery that the U.S. should seek contact with Iran. This is a very serious and damaging claim--and Meese, predictably, tried to deflect and deny the claim, citing "full debate" of the issue among Reagan's White House team.
Why they were debating is not a problem--but the real extent of Reagan's and Bush's involvement in the issue of selling arms to a terrorist state was not even mentioned. It should have been.
Tim concluded by asking the panel about their memories of Reagan "as he struggles with Alzheimer's"--making it sound almost like a tribute to the late Ronald. And rather than citing specifics, each panelist paid tribute to some element of Reagan's "greatness."
It was practically a preview of the sort of warm, fuzzy, nostalgic image-making that will inevitably occur when Reagan finally does arrive at that Great Soundstage in the Sky. Nary a word will be mentioned of the incipient corruption within his Administration--arguably the worst of the postwar era--due to his weak leadership.
It is also worth noting that Tim did not touch on the claim that Morris made concerning Reagan's declining mental acumen following the 1981 assassination attempt.
Following the break: "Pat Buchanan in the 'crossfire.'" The first panelist to sound off--Michael Kinsley, Pat's former "nemesis" on CNN's Crossfire. Tim led by asking Kinsley if Pat is an anti-Semite. Kinsley said no--if you mean a rabid Jew-hater--but that Pat's views on the pro-Israel lobby and World War II raise serious red flags about his true sentiments. He also accused Pat of trying to have it "both ways" on World War II in his book (we were in danger/we were in no danger).
Bill Safire recounted the salad days as speechwriters for Nixon, talking warmly about Safire's invention of the term "nattering nabobs of negativism" and Pat's of "pusillanimous pussyfooters" for the Nixon Administration (who says the 1990s are the era of spin?). But then, the New York Times' Clinton-hater extraordinaire dropped the big one on Pat.
First, he cited Bill Buckley having come to the conclusion that Pat was an anti-Semite--and then said himself that Pat was indeed an anti-Semite! He characterized Pat's new book as being "designed" to draw hatemongers, pulling that element out of the GOP and into the Reform Party. He also said that Pat was likeable and nice--"and that is the danger!"
We were in awe of Safire for the first time since he started slumming on "Eat the Prez." Safire was slamming Buchanan even harder and more articulately than he attacks Clinton!
Paul Gigolo--er, Gigot, of the Wall Street Journal, said that "Pat Buchanan has marginalized himself" and predicted that Pat would siphon off votes from the GOP--but perhaps not enough to cost the GOP the White House.
Look for that to be the new mantra of the New Right--Pat is marginal and will only draw kooks. It's an attempt by some conservatives to push the GOP toward a "big tent" and by others to downplay the danger to the GOP--and the dwinding influence of hard conservatives within the party.
Safire then turned to the Democrats, anointing Bradley the "anti-Gore." But Kinsley punctured Safire's claim that it was a "real race," saying that the media invented the race.
And, indeed, that seems to be true--the Bradley campaign has gotten more press in the last few weeks, which in turn has influenced the poll numbers, which has resulted in yet more favorable press for Bradley!
Safire naturally had to bring up the Clintons--in the context of Dems "forcing" New York party members to support Hillary. We don't need to remind you that Safire is out of touch with reality--but we will tell you that every Dem we know in New York is glad to see Hillary in the race.
Tim, naturally, had to spin "Clinton fatigue." Kinsley got a laugh out of us when he pointed out that in 1987, after seven years of Reagan, people were tired of him! Gigolo said that "Clinton fatigue [is really] Clinton disgust."
Right, Gigolo--disgust with the GOP for their impeachment coup, disgust with hard-righters who lie over and over about Clinton. America will remember--and Safire senses this, as he talked about the coming "Gore comeback."
Tim asked if the so-called Ventura factor had changed American politics forever--and Kinsley explained the underlying reason: disgust with the present crop of politicians and politics.
Gigot slammed the Reform Party, calling them "$13 million in search of an idea." Safire said that in 1992, the GOP learned what a mistake it was to have a protest candidate in the debates siphoning off votes--which is in a way at odds with his view that Pat Buchanan will only siphon off the extreme types from the GOP.
And, other than a boring "Eat the Prez" minute from some two decades ago with Jimmy Carter, that was it.
Reliable Sources
Caught in passing: one of the guests this week on Reliable Sources was Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol! He responded gleefully to Buchanan's characterization of the Standard as a "dinky" magazine: "He can dish it out, but he can't take it!"
Darn tootin', Bill!
To be continued…
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Copyright © 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, American Politics Journal Publications.
