Pundit Pap

Pundit Pap
for Sunday, October 17, 1999

Pundits Nuke Themselves!
Sunday loudmouths try to blame and embarrass Clinton over Senate rejection of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, but end up embarrassing themselves with biased conduct

by The Editors

Sunday, October 17, 1999--NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (APJ)--It was another delightful Sunday of Pundit foot-in-mouth disease.

Issue one: the Senate's defeat of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The spin: it's a major defeat for Clinton. It has diminished his international stature.

Both assertions are wrong.

Keep reading to find out why...

Fox News Sunday
Nobody budges on budget, D'Amato and Estrich naysay the Fox News team

"Bad blood... what next--a government shutdown?... The skidding Dow sends shivers through Wall Street."

Tony Snow did not quite have an A-list of guests, but, as usual, was able to make a lot of waves and spin the right (wing) spin once again. You have to hand it to him--like his politics or not, FNS is still the hottest ticket on Sunday.

"Tempers turned thermonuclear in Washington." The guests: Gene Sperling and Sen. Larry Craig. Sperling called for a budget without gimmicks, slamming the GOP congress for "a budget that would make David Copperfield proud" and citing the CBO and "every newspaper" for the GOP's looting the Social Security surplus. He told Congress to "come clean." Tony's questioning sounded testy--because Sperling was accurately depicting the Congress as crooks!

Craig said he was glad the White House was "finally" engaged in the budget process. Finally? He must not get White House press releases that were talking about the budget back in June! Craig tried to make it look as if the President is "trying to shut down government" and "playing games"--when in fact all of the Beltway knows that Trent Lott and Tom DeLay are plotting for a shutdown!

And we all remember how well it worked when that genius" Newt Gingrich tried that stunt.

And Sperling was prepared, saying to Craig that it was Congress that was not prepared to hammer out an agreement. Sperling then tried to hand Craig a stack of clips from newspapers decrying Congressional conduct. Craig looked pissed off, saying "I don't need Ross Perot-like charts!" Hilarious! That's right--you don't need charts to LOSE once again! Sperling said that it would be no problem to hammer out an agreement if Congress "would come straight... no gimmicks." Craig: The President ran a war in Kosovo [lie] and ran up the Defense budget [well, too bad, Craig--obviously]."

At one point, Tony said, "Nobody out there would understand OMB versus CBO." Maybe he is right--if they did, they'd see that CBO numbers are GOP-biased! And this triggered a shouting match between Sperling and Craig. So Tony asked Sperling about Clinton's comment that the GOP is motivated by partisan animosity--how can he deal with a party that puts this above a national security issue (the Test ban Treaty)? Once again Sperling gave an answer that said the problem is solvable--and then rattled off a litany of GOP obstructions." Craig [lying again twice]: "All of a sudden the President wants to talk budget... Sorry, Mr. President, no tax increase on the poor." He again slammed Clinton for jacking up the budget on intervention in Kosovo.

Tell you what, Craig--let's add up the cost of Kosovo and then total all of the pork that GOPers have slipped into the budget. Guess which costs more! Get rid of the pork, et voila! Solution!

That'll be the day, huh?

The segment was the testiest we've seen on FNS in quite a while. Craig was spinning so fast we thought he was going to screw himself into the floor!

Spots: Nissan, Philip Morris (they help battered wives!--part of their attempt to remake their image--by the way, they kill millions worldwide with their tobacco products), iVillage.com, and Fox Sports.

Tony's next guest: Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell. Question one: what about the budget? Rendell said Americans were with the Dems on the budget--and want more schools built, more cops on the street. Naturally, Tony said, "So you want to spend money"--half of the ol' "tax'n'spend" bogeyman. Rendell essentially said "Darn tootin'!"--then fired away at Craig for calling the Kosovo intervention "an escapade... we stopped ethnic cleansing."

Rendell said he was in favor of school choice--but only with appropriate funding and not at the expense of public schools. Rendell mentioned this is what he says to the NEA--whether they like it or not. Rendell also cited an article by--catch this--Al Hunt citing experiments in Atlanta that work.

Mara Liasson asked if there were a "real choice here" between Gore and Bradley. Rendell pointed out they are the only two candidates talking about "what the American people want to hear"--and had the most experience of the "11" candidates in the race. He praised Gore for his legacy of achievement and Bradley for addressing issues.

Brit Hume asked about the style of the campaign, essentially slamming Gore. Rendell said that Gore is trying to put his distinctive style forward. Hume tried making a lot of Gore having said he's "distancing" himself from Clinton, then asked something mindless about "Clinton fatigue."

Honestly, we are getting fatigued by this phrase. And Rendell punctured the phrase, saying it was largely an invention of "the media" (i.e. their owners and sponsors fatigued of a man who wants to see the poor and kids get health care).

After Rendell talked about the Clinton legacy, Juan Williams talked about "fundraising" and "coffees." Hey Juan--why have you never asked Haley Barbour or Grover Norquist about their money laundering? We're talking a few thou of Dem money versus hundreds of thousands in GOP cash!

And Rendell segued to health care, saying that people will be willing to pay more taxes if they know that people's health will be taken care of.

Great segment. Rendell is about to become top dog at the DNC. He'll shake things up, mark our word.

Spots: Mitsubishi, IBM, local spots for Family Health Care Plus (HMO), Toyota, Maaco, Florida/St. Petersburg Tourism.

The next guests Susan Estrich and Al D'Amato. D'Amato said the GOP "got involved in too much inside baseball" by voting down the Test Ban Treaty instead of putting it aside. While he said both sides were at fault, he actually slammed Trent Lott specifically for not handling this well.

Estrich was asked about the whole Gore distancing thing by Juan, and Estrich pointed out that people prone to vote in a Dem primary are by and large bonded to Clinton. "I know this President is willing and eager to do anything to help Gore get elected--including keeping a distance." This would not, she added, prevent Clinton from helping out with fundraising.

D'Amato again went on the attack over the Test Ban Treaty--"It would have been best not to beat up on the President over this." He claimed that the GOP did not go to BushBaby over this--but we know otherwise. And Al said "Gore needs Clinton desperately."

There you have it--two pundits puncturing the "separation" myth.

There was laughter all around when talk turned to Hillary Clinton and Al's remark about Hillary being a Yankee fan. So what, Al? one of our New York writers is an Atlanta Falcons fan. Al tried to blame Hillary for the FALN clemency controversy, but Estrich said "if you think this was politics... this was a mess-up."

Tony asked about the possibility of Hillary "as a talk-show host" on New York station WABC. Al, who (surprisingly) seemed not to have heard about this offer, said he didn't buy the rumors, but we will tell you why WABC did it--they do NOT want to lose Rudy Giuliani's monthly call-in show because of "equal-time" rules--and they know Hillary will be a real ratings grabber.

Spots: PeoplePC, Fox Shows, and local spots for TWA, Toyota.

Fox markets guru Neil Cavuto joined the Fox Panel to talk about the shaky week on Wall Street--and somewhat shattering the myth about November being a bad month. Cavuto cited government reports on inflation, the possibility of an interest hike, and two Greenspan speeches in a row citing possible Y2K antsiness. Brit Hume asked Cavuto if this is the right time to get into the market, and Cavuto said that it might be a good idea to wait until Tuesday after a government inflation report and Microsoft's earnings report are in.

Talk turned to the CTBT--Tony asked if the showdown was a bad deal for Republicans--and Brit called it a win for Senate GOPers and a punishing loss to Clinton; Mara called it "damaging," claiming incorrectly that foreign leaders will think he has no credibility.

Mara is stating the official RNC position. In fact, most foreign leaders look upon congressional Republicans as thugs and troublemakers.

And Juan said the vote "tars Republicans as out to punish Clinton... it was like a second vote on impeachment." Brit tried to spin Clinton as having done nothing, then threatening to hold up work in the Senate, then were "horrified" to find they did not have enough votes--and Juan, showing no critical thinking, said Brit was right.

We've got news for them both--Clinton knew this was unwinnable. This was classic Clinton rope-a-dope, and now the Senate, thinking they just got in a good swing at the President, finds their punch getting booed by the public.

Juan pointed out that the Senate vote would start showing up in campaign commercials. Brit said the nations we most worry about are not signatories to the treaty. We say so what? America can still punish rogue states.

Talk turned to Ken Starr's "legacy." Juan said that Starr was stupid not to turn over the Lewinsky segment of his investigation to another prosecutor. Both Mara and Brit tried to make Dick Ray, Starr 's substitute, look "fair and balanced."

Yeah, right. Just like Fox News. Ray was involved in the failed political vendetta--er, independent probe--into Mike Espy. And we have questions about what contacts Ray had as a New York prosecutor with one Rudy Giuliani, who happens to have been a federal prosecutor at the same time Ray was in Fun City.

Spots for IBM and Fox Shows preceded Tony's final word--on the war over peace and the Test Ban Treaty.

The McLaugh-In Group
John McLaugh-In reaches critical mass, nearly melts down

Issue one! Washington's Nuclear Reaction! We could see where this was going to go even before it began. GE, manufacturer of nuclear weapons technology, stands to lose from the CTBT, and we all know who pays for McLaugh-In.

John tried to embarrass Clinton for the "searing" loss and Clinton's "partisan" conduct. Does he think we're as mad as he is?

There was a lot of footage of Clinton--but even more of Lott calling the treaty flawed.

John Fund--the real killer of Vince Foster whose hate editorials in the Wall Street Journal led Foster to kill himself--tried to spin Chinagate ("Clinton should ask the Chinese"). Eleanor Clift slammed Lott for his conduct that embarrassed the nation (she is right)--"It is suicide politically" for the GOP. Rich Lowry, nobody writer, named a whole bunch of Neofascists who called the treaty a bad idea, and claimed the Senate "voted on its merits" (which echoed Lott's "They voted their conscience." Meaning: "Let's screw Clinton over.") Naturally, McLaugh-In was prepared with a list of "knowledgeable experts" thrown up on the screen ( a roster of American closet Nazis). Mort Zuckerman said that this weakened America's stature. When idiot Rich squealed about "Iran and Iraq," Mort pointed out that it is our relations with Russia and China that are more important--and hurt. John Fund claimed that China has broken the treaty already. Gee, John, we didn't know you had access to CIA and NSA files that would prove this! Lowry started cheerleading for America's nuclear stockpile, and again Eleanor made the child Lowry and John look foolish by pointing out that the treaty includes intrusive monitoring.

Then John started bellowing about Lewinsky! Good grief--someone get John some Prozac!

After more Clinton/Lott sound bites, Rich called Clinton a "liar" about his assertion re. the CTBT vote, Eleanor blasted the fraudulent GOP tactics, and Mort said both parties were wrong--but nobody expected Lott to call for an up-or-down vote a week ago; it did not give enough time to air current views on the treaty. Fund screamed something about "scandal"--which is all he cares about. Fund, by the way, is nothing more than Matt Drudge on the Dow Jones payroll--his dishonest, one-sided "reporting" on the so-called Clinton "scandals" has almost single-handedly ruined the WSJ's reputation as an organ of political opinion.

Fund said Clinton has no legacy; Clift said that CTBT becomes a campaign issue; Rich said something dumb; Mort said that foreign policy issues don't play well.

Following the GE propaganda commercials ("We bring good things to nukes"), John blamed "the Clinton doctrine" for spreading nuclear proliferation with "Issue two: Clinton's arms race!"

So what's the big problem, John? Doesn't that mean "emerging" markets for GE "defense" products and a domestic market for Star Wars toys?

John claimed that the Clinton doctrine was to use the military to pressure nations with bad human rights records "rather than to respect sovereignty." He claimed that the only way to "shield" from the Clinton doctrine was... the bomb! He cited moves in China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and other nations...

...that they would have done anyway! John has gone mad.

And Mort said he didn't see John's point or connection! Eleanor said that India and Pakistan were testing as a result of their frictions, not the U.S.! John quoted Russian leaders saying that the U.S. was "forcing" other nations to go nuke--at which point Rich said the first smart thing he may have ever said in his life: they are posturing. And John Fund was right for once himself--saying that rogue states are more likely to acquire chemical or nuclear weapons.

But John continued to bellow about nuclear proliferation--and make a pompous fool of himself, with even his fellow fascists having dissed his thesis!

Issue three: Gore. John did more video bites, punctuating Gore's fiery promise to veto anti-union legislation, something sure to rub GE and Jack Welch the wrong way. Is Gore's refashioning himself a good move? The entire panel said yes--with Fund getting in his snide licks. Lowry once again showed some intelligence, pointing out that this cuts into Bradley. Mort and John McLaugh-In agreed.

Predictions:

Fund: Dems will be shocked when Sam Katz becomes the new mayor of Philadelphia.

Eleanor: Teamsters endorse Gore

Rich: Forbes anti-Bush ads will be softer on Bush than expected and feature Forbes speaking

Mort: Putin, Russian Prime Minister, will launch a major effort to expand Chechen war

John: the Glass Act will be repealed; banks will sell stocks and insurance and, because of Clinton's support of the repeal, will give money to Hillary campaign.

This Weak
'Slam' Donaldson, 'Cocky' Roberts (whose Mommy made her famous), Gorge Staphylococcus, George Pill: they all bore us, and you, to death

A permanent standoff between the President and Congress? ABC claimed that the president was "humiliated" across the world because the Senate refused to ratify the nuclear test band treaty.

This was the PERFECT LIE. The reality is that it is the CONGRESS that is now the laughing stock of the world.

"Give Monica my regards," said Jesse Helms.

John Podesta faced Dullard Donaldson and Wimp Will. Podesta said we will continue to abide by the CTBT no matter what the Congress does--we have since 1992. Donaldson said, "I mean the Senate HAS worked its will?" Ha, ha, haha, ha! What a putz. Podesta refused to say whether the President will force this treaty down the throats of the Senate once again. The truth is, however, that the dumb, dumb Republicans stepped exactly into the doo-doo that the President Clinton placed in their path. The supermajority of the nation is crazed with anger over this political gimmick, a move my the Mississippi Moron, Trent Lott--and the White House intends to capitalize on this. As with the phony Impeachment Trial, American voters are not nearly as stupid as Republicans in the Senate. Democratic Senators all voted to ratify the treaty.

George Will wimpily said, couldn't the President have stopped this by sending a letter to the Senate asking for the Senate to stop its vote and promising that he would not submit the treaty again during his term? Yeah. Sure. Will claimed that two CIA officials were opposed to this treaty as well. What Will doesn't tell you is that the treaty itself is really moot. And treaties, by themselves, NEVER guarantee anything. Treaties, like any contract, are made to be broken.

We can tell you that nearly 90 of the 100 senators did not want to ditch the treaty. They knew this vote would make the US look like a banana republic run by a bunch of sub-morons from the deep South. It was Lott and a few of his ultra- right-wing CCC buddies like Jesse Helms who killed the treaty for the time being.

Cokie brought up some stupid story that was not true. It was so untrue that Podesta never heard it.

Cokie then began babbling about Gore, saying that he is unclear how he wants Clinton to support his campaign. Podesta said he tries to keep in touch with the campaign committee but that the Vice President must run on his own good job history. The President will support him where appropriate and Mr. Gore is doing a great job.

Donaldson, always loving the seamy side of a story, asked Podesta if it were true that Podesta was extremely angry about the Gore commercial chastising the Senate for putting America in the position of looking like a fool in the world community. Podesta replied that this, again, was simply not true--but he wished he had known the timing of the ad more clearly.

Will said that a key theme of the Gore campaign is that Bradley is a quitter (which, we hasten to add, he is). Podesta wouldn't tell Will "whether this was the right thing to do." What he should of said was that it depends on what you mean by RIGHT. If you are referring to tactics engaged in by the punk sector of the Republican Party, then you are incorrect; if you are referring to RIGHT as being correct, then yes, Bradley is a quitter. Bradley left the Senate whining because he was not in the majority any longer instead of staying to fight off the ultra-right as he could have. He did absolutely nothing between that time and his announcement that he was running for President. That is WRONG.

John Kerry (d) and John Kyl (R) were up next. They were talking about the CTBT.

And Kerry made mincemeat out of Kyl.

First, Kerry pointed out that the GOP leadership had not held meaningful hearings. Instead, they had decided they would try to use this ratification vote as a personal weapon against the President because they couldn't force him to resign through the impeachment farce. The Senate has only ONCE in the past 100 years refused to ratify a treaty (except for the Treaty of Versailles, which was in hearings for months). This was an obvious circus. Kerry accused Kyl of being a bomb-loving moron who also wants to undo the antiballistic missile (ABM) treaty. Kyl claimed "they" talked to experts--but they talked with only a few experts and no matter what they would have said, the GOP would have voted against.

Will , the definitive ass, said that he KNOWS that our own nuclear weapons must be constantly tested to make sure they are working!

Ha, ha, haha, ha. Why? So we can be sure that we can blow up the earth? What would be the point? The stockpile is in no way threatened! The Joint Chiefs would call Will the liar that he is--and did, in essence, in their reports to the White House.

Kerry thinks the treaty will come up--but in a form that could build a better consensus. Kyl said the treaty cannot be changed unless it was renegotiated with all the parties. That is true, but that can be done relatively quickly. Then Kyl added (what he really meant) "If it is brought back to us--we will kill it again."

What an ass.

Everyone, stop and think about the people that are now running our country. Remember what hell we went through in our late teens and twenties to stop the madness of nuclear escalation? Do all you readers who were once girls and boys and university students now think you ought to align yourselves with Republican warmongers because they are the party of the rich, and you are frightened that you won't get rich? Don't fall for it.

Donaldson then turned to a non-story--that Phillip Morris acknowledged that smoking causes cancer and is addictive. Jeffrey Wigand was the one who leaked the truth. This was so boring that it went down the hill toward a discussion of whether Wigand thought that safe cigarettes can be made. He said yes.

George Will wanted to know what Wigand really added to our understanding of the harm cigarettes can do since the Government has had warnings on cigarettes for thirty years--then begins to defend the people that fooled Americans. Will said--incredulously--that "you say that the cigarette industry conspired against the people to hide the truth." And we were laughing out loud! Is Will even more insane than John McLaughlin? Of course they did--and only a couple of years ago, every tobacco company president LIED to Congress and said that cigarettes did not hurt health and did not cause disease. The Congress was a willing co-conspirator in allowing them to walk without throwing them in jail for committing perjury to a congressional committee.

Cokie gleefully showed the Gore commercial telling the people to demand that their Senators ratify the CTBT . Staphylococcus said it was good that Gore did this. Bill Kristol said that the Gore campaign is remaking itself as the Mondale campaign--implying that Gore will lose.

Will, showing himself to be an absolute imbecile, said that he doesn't think the voters care. Will, of course, cannot read because of his constant migraines, so we can't fault him for his lying about this. EVERY POLL taken during the last week shows that a vast majority of Americans--and all people from Western democracies--are appalled at what the Neofascist element of the GOP Senate did, and are ashamed of those moderate GOP senators who were so fruity as to agree, even though they had singed letters to the opposite.

Will is totally out of touch with reality, absolutely and completely.

The four idiots and the super-smart Bill Kristol just moved toward a toilet of boredom. Then Will mischaracterized an agreement between the White House and Russia in which we agree to help them defend themselves with a new radar system in exchange for their support of a new missile system in Europe. Will made it seem like we were "bending" to the Russians--when in fact the negotiations surrounding this issue were moving in an exactly OPPOSITE direction. The Russians were looking to save face with their people--and thus we gave them the new radar system to cement our relationship as ALLIES, not enemies.

Hey, ABC News: fire Will's ass. He is an ignoramus!!!

Cokie began the final segment boring us about campaign finance reform. McCain came to the floor of the Senate and accused those in attendance of corruption. McConnell rebuffed him, saying that McCain should name the names if he thinks there is corruption. Rule 19 of the Senate disallows this. But McConnell is correct. McCain should name names--starting with himself and McConnell and then straight on down the roster, including the corrupt senators on the Democrat side of the aisle.

Sam said money has corrupted the Congress--but "I can't figure out how to fix it."

Bill Kristol said this was the biggest story. But that their mistake with the treaty ironically helped the GOP by burying the campaign finance issue.

The GOP loves this--and are congratulating themselves-- but way too early. The President will veto many of their spending bills. They will be forced to adjust and then spend part of your social security trust fund. It's a riot--but who will have the last laugh?

Kristol gleefully hopes we will go into a recession, which will definitely help the GOP. They will blame the President for it. However, the Democrats can turn this around and place the real blame where it belongs--on the do-nothing, Republican-controlled congress.

Eat the Depressed
a.k.a. The "Slim" Russert Comedy Hour
sponsored by the "Fourth Reich von General Electric"

Tim Russert, naturally, defended the Republicans for killing the first nuclear test ban treaty in the history of the United States.

He did so in front of Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Bob Torricelli (D-NJ). He allowed McConnell to mischaracterize the manner in which the failure to ratify occurred--by playing video of out-of-context speeches from the floor demanding that the Senate ratify the treaty and vote on it, and then saying, in essence, "See, you demanded they vote."

Russert is an unabashed scam artist.

What really happened was that the GOP decided, months ago, to embarrass the nation in front of the community of nations of the world for the SOLE PURPOSE of hurting the White House. What they succeeded in doing was to hurt the GOP again and risk not only their losing the HOUSE for certain, but possibly losing the SENATE as well.

The only thing McConnell could point to over an over again was that Henry Kissinger thought the treaty was flawed

But Kissinger, brilliant as he is, is a whore for the GOP--and his clients include those companies that might suffer under such a treaty because they couldn't build and test more nuclear bombs under lucrative Pentagon contracts. Period.

McConnell then discussed how he will amend the ABM treaty--to begin Star Wars over again. Now we are not against the new ballistic missile defense system, so we agree with this amendment--but how it is fashioned is extremely important.

Our advice: watch this issue closely.

Russert, who has more than anyone on television poisoned the atmosphere in Washington, had the nerve to ask McConnell if this treaty issue has "poisoned the atmosphere in Washington" and the nation toward politics. Ha, ha, haha, ha! McConnell, of course, said no., the Senate did not do this to punish the President. Of course, he does not explain why he was against the treaty--at least in any believable sense.

McConnell blathers as Torricelli looks as if he's going to "hurl".
Torricelli riled McConnell and said he would support a tobacco tax to help cover uninsured Americans. McConnell has 45,000 tobacco workers among his Kentucky constituents. Torricelli then listed the Senate seats he will capture to win the Senate. He admitted that the financial resources for Democrats are slimmer than the GOP's and stuttered a bit when saying the Hillary will win. He said that he will use the President to campaign. McConnell said that he thinks Torricelli is doing a great job, but that he will maintain the GOP lead in the Senate. McConnell is the chair of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Torricelli is the chair of the Democratic SCC.

Russert then pulled out a story from the New York Times which accuses Torricelli of taking money for votes. Torricelli did not miss a beat--and said he is so tired of this question that this is one reason he wants to get rid of "soft money." By the way, they are both fibbing on this one. No one, not one politician in their right mind ( except ones that cannot foment support) are for campaign finance reform. AND THAT IS THE TRUTH. A BANKABLE TRUTH.

Russert then calls McConnell Senator McCain! Ha, ha, haha, ha. No two could be more opposite.

Then Russert took a swing at McConnell and said that Anne McBride of Public Citizen accused him of doing favors for major donors to the GOP like big tobacco, HMOs, gun manufacturers, and many more. McConnell called McBride a liar because she will not back it up by naming names.

McConnell said that McBride and her allies want to "shut up" the parties, but want to totally dominate the airwaves with their crap. And we agree--we don't trust all of these so-called do-gooders to run this nation. Their ranks a largely made up of failures--with very few outstanding exceptions. Now this my surprise some of our readers, but we, as one publication, do not support campaign finance reform. Yes, we would rather have well-educated men and women in business running the country--rather than either the ill-educated Congress which made up largely of failed sociopaths, or trailer-park denizens who spend their lives chugging cases of Budweiser while watching moronic football games in a non-stop ESPN orgy of vapidity. At least business people realize how far they can go before they destroy their own domestic marketplace.

They will never push the nation so far as to hurt the vast majority of Americans. The right-wing-dominated Congress, in their arrogance and stupidity, could do and has done this--often.

Senator John McCain was up next. "We all know that one someone gives a million dollar check, they expect something in return." He cited the marriage tax penalty repeal going down to defeat. He read the GOP platform of 1996. "The public trust is violated when taxpayer's money is used for a slush fund to oppose much-needed reforms." And he reminded us that it is not illegal for Chinese US companies to contribute to US issue campaigns--and both national parties.

Russert said that McConnell would say this is "free speech"--the people can throw out any Senator that does this. Of course, this is untrue. Americans do not care--and certainly will not take the trouble to link contributions to votes. But this, of course, is not the point at all. Americans don't care--because they are largely happy with the way things are going.

We agree. Certainly there is corruption in Congress, just as there is corruption in every single organization on earth. That is, sadly, the nature of human interaction. There are greedy people. So what? If you care so much, take the time to prove corruption. We have, as you well know. Nobody cares anyway. As Mao said, "...Keep the Chinese bellies full and you can do anything to them or for them." American politicians have learned this well--with the exception of certain ultra-right wing elements of the GOP who think they can starve black babies into submission, imprison their fathers for life for petty narcotics crimes, and destroy the progress we've made in this nation since 1964.

McCain voted against the nuclear test ban treaty--why, asked Tim. McCain said that the President could have invited leading foreign policy experts in the GOP to work out the details. He did not.

Um, John... why should he? How could he trust these men, in any way? These are the very same men who led the LYNCHING of the Clintons for the past seven years. These are the same men who attempted--and failed--to subvert the constitutional process of impeachment. They have proven that they cannot be trusted. By anybody. We wouldn't. Would you?

McCain said he supports the help we intend to give Russia to build the radar defense system--and mentioned that Reagan believed the same.

McCain, Tim pointed out, is about 20 points down below Bush. McCain said he wants to beat Bush in New Hampshire, Arizona and early primaries. He said he feels that even if he comes close, the BushBaby tide will turn.

Russert then played a segment in which Pat Pukeanan was interviewed by Katie Couric (a real brain). Pat attacked McCain for his comments on Buchanan's impending departure from the GOP. McCain said, "I can only say, 'Thank God and Greyhound, you are gone.'"

Oh God, the next guests were "Whore to anyone who'll pay me" David Gergen and Neofascist loser Bob Novak--to comment on the White House.

But David Broder was up first, and said that Clinton has lost his capacity to lead the nation and the government.

How wrong he is. And what proof that even smart journalists like Broder do not understand that it was not the President who lost his capacity, it was the GOP Congress that lynched it from him in a manner more heinous than any Klan rally.

Bob Novak, who has resurrected his sinking future on the backs of Hillary, Chelsea and Bill Clinton, blames the President, of course. He said he is amazed that the media is wringing its hands of the nuclear test ban treaty.

Russert said the President seems to win no matter what the GOP does. Broder claimed that the GOP is digging themselves into a hole every day which will defeat them. Yes, Broder--on that point you are correct.

Novak then tried to rescue his Reich saying, "What about the President saying no to the Congress?" Yes, he said no often. No to Neo-Nazi plans that the Republican Congress puts forward. And on other things, like the "balanced" budget, more money for the Pentagon and other GOP pork-barrel spending, he has said yes.

So what is Novak talking about? Nothing but lies, as usual.

The reason that the Congress can do nothing is that the intentions of the ultra-right wing of the GOP are just plain evil, self-serving and greedy. There is no question about that. And even the majority of Republicans will not support this type of legislation. They have proven it over and over again.

Lisa Myers, who is quickly becoming a planet with its own atmosphere, attacked Democrats for making it a strategy to say no to Republicans--yet she too failed to say when and where, and whether the correct thing for most Americans to do was and is to say NO!

The group discussed Gore and Bradley, and how Gore is "not the strongest candidate for the DNC." They also agreed that GEORGE BUSH is the nominee of the GOP. Period.

You have to laugh--yet another prediction by the pundits practically guaranteed to be wrong. Wait until they hear the scandals--then start reporting them. What jerks.

And it was it for Meet the Press--or whatever is left of it.