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by The Editors
Fox News Spin-Day
McCain rocks
Tony Snow opened with "John McCain -- he's tan, rested, ready, and ours this morning!"
Tony's first question to McCain was about Bill Bradley and his irregular heartbeat! McCain called for all candidates to release their medical records -- a comment calculated to raise questions about Bush.
Tony asked McCain about "Clinton's" don't-ask don't tell policy, and McCain said he fully supported it. But he then slammed Clinton for declaring it a failure: "What are... commanding officers... saying this morning? 'I've tried to implement this...'" He added that it's time for a full review of the policy. Tony mentioned an Arizona pol who is being booted from the reserves for being gay -- McCain said the man, Steve May, is a friend of his. Tony droned on about the gay issue -- asking McCain about same sex marriages (he opposes them), hate crime legislation (he claimed they are not needed).
Then onto Bush -- who has refused to meet with other candidates re. GOP issues. McCain slammed Bush directly for not meeting.
Tony shifted to abortion, asking a loaded question about whether a child who is the result of rape or incest has the right to life. McCain called it a dilemma -- "rape and incest are a compelling reason that exceptions can be made." As opposed to what? McCain sounds as if he is anti-abortion with these few exceptions. He then mentioned adoption and foster parents. McCain said he thinks Roe v Wade "can be reversed."
Tony then got boring -- asking what he thought Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's most important contribution to the law is -- then asked in so many words whether abortion is a litmus test. McCain said the expected pap about "adhering to the intent of the founding fathers" as he praised Justice Tony Scalia.
The founding fathers didn't give the vote to non-landowners -- and made America a slavery haven! What you hinting at, JJ?
Catch this -- McCain said jokingly his favorite band is Nine Inch Nails! Tony then put some "really nasty" NIN lyrics. Tony then said he's had to hide his daughter's Britney Spears album.
Following a break (spots for Stuart Little, Philip Morris [disguised as Miller Beer helping flood victims], Prodigy's "Doctor Garetti" commercial, and Fox Shows), Tony's usual gang of idiots (Brit Hume, Mara Liasson and Juan Williams) joined the questioning. McCain bashed Gore for "inventing the Internet" (hey, JJ, that's not what he said) and then started to rant about "foreign money" in the '96 Clinton campaign (hey, JJ, ask Haley Barbour about his Asia cash scams).
Mara asked a wonk question about Social Security -- and McCain clobbered Congress for using SS cash in an "emergency" expenditure to pay for the 2000 census. He said he was optimistic about the long-term direction of the stock market. Brit asked if that's the case, why did he raise alarms about the high levels of the stock market -- and McCain, in so many words, said "I said long term, you boob!" He then talked about the long term effects of eliminating "corporate welfare."
Juan asked about transition of control of the Panama Canal -- allowing John to say that he's concerned about "Chinese concessions" at both ends of the Canal -- red meat for New Cold Warriors. Juan lied, saying "the Chinese have control of the choke points" of the canal -- and segued to Wen Ho Lee.
Now, let's make one thing clear -- the company is not Chinese even though they are headquartered in Hong Kong. It is privately held and one of the senior officers is British; it also has concessions throughout the world.
McCain said that while he supports Chinese entry into the WTO, he expects cooperation, and Tony put words in JJ's mouth, claiming that McCain sees Taiwan and China as equals. McCain talked about fistfights on the Taiwanese legislative floor -- probably wishing he could do the same to Trent Lott and other badmouthers.
Brit said that McCain knew more about Dean Acheson than Dubya, based on the last debate. Mccain said he had not read the book -- then discussed in detail the decision to fire General McArthur, saying it was fully justified because he was insubordinate.
Is McCain in favor of affirmative action? McCain said yes insofar as economics are concerned. In other words, he's in favor of vouchers -- which steal money from public schools to pad the pockets of private schools that cater to rich kids from the right families or religious schools that put doctrine above learning while holding out the false prospect of "choice" to poor families. McCain also said he supports school choice.
"This Russia spy scandal -- whaddya make of it?" asked Tony. McCain called for a review of State Department security -- but pretty much said Clinton was blameless. Elian Gonzalez? McCain wants to see him have the opportunity to grow up in America but said it's a tough decision, and her mother gave her life to see to it he grew up in freedom. Tony asked about Rudy Giuliani's latest attack on homeless people, and said he did not have all the info -- but liked Rudy.
Mara turned to political strategy. What does McCain intend to do after New Hampshire? McCain gave strategic vagaries -- but admitted outright it would not be easy. "I'm still the underdog -- but I'm happy with where we've gotten.... (New Hampshire's) gonna be very close... we've got a long way to go in South Carolina."
(Spots: Visa, Dell, local spots, Fox Shows)
"Is Rudy a Grinch or a visionary when it comes to the homeless?" Tony welcomed Vito Fosella and Charles Rangel, two New York congressmen. Rangel called it a political move following the attack of a woman by a mentally deranged man -- and added that this is a dramatic shift of policy for Rudy. He said Rudy should be focusing on treatment and jobs for homeless. Tony extolled the "benefits" of Rudy's plan -- and Rangel said that Rudy never mentioned these "benefits" until Hillary Clinton started attacking Rudy!
Juan asked Vito about the notion that a minimum wage job can't even get you a New York apartment! Vito claimed that there is a "dramatic difference," calling pre-Rudy New York a "crime zone." What a fool -- as if people can't see that the national downturn in crime is the direct result of a robust economy. Vito slammed a "trumpet of individuals" objecting to "putting people to work." Oh, please -- as if mentally ill people are qualified to work. Enough, moron! And Juan slammed the idea of taking children away from poor, homeless parents. Vito said he had not heard "people on the other side offering constructive solutions" -- which is ridiculous, because many critics have offered better alternatives.
Rangel then said that it is time to crack down on those criminals among the homeless -- but then added that many homeless already work, and handcuffing them and taking away their kids is just wrong. Tony said something about an unenforceable New York state law (being challenged in court) that overlaps Rudy's plan.
But then Tony put Vito on the defensive over taking kids from their mothers! Vito offered vagaries and family values, getting the last word.
This was Vito's first appearance on the Sunday shows -- at least that we've seen. Let's just say that insofar as his pundit skills go, he's no Rick Lazio -- and leave it at that.
Spots (ExxonMobil, IBM, Fox TV's Greed, and local spots).
Panel time! Espionage-obsessed Tony played up the Russian spy "scandal." Yawn... until Juan said that it sounded like someone planted a baby monitor in a State Department conference room. Brit said it seemed a bit "Austin Powers."
Is George W. Bush a dope? Mara said "the media has not dispelled this [but] he made no major gaffes." Tony asked if this was not a case of the press saying "Weeeee're smarter than youuuuu are." And we agree with Tony -- but knowing full well that this is similar to the way the press treats Al Gore! Mara added that the debates have done nothing to dispel The Shrub's advantages: money, contributors, party support. Hume said that he was no longer invincible. Tony suggested that McCain was "tapped out" in New Hampshire and Bush had a lot left to spend.
Tony turned to Gore-Bradley -- and tried to make a lot of Gore raising taxes! Juan attacked Gore for demagoguing, and Mara said sensitivity that the tax issue shows how much the Democrats have changed.
Is Bradley's health an issue? Mara and Brit downplayed it -- obviously hoping that Bradley would damage Gore and keep the Dem race at least a little exciting.
Spots (Prodigy, Philip Morris, Anna and the King) preceded Tony's final word. Man, is this guy ever obsessed with the Russian spy scandal and State Department reports that meetings on oceanography were held in the room. Okay, so we got a laugh from his "disinformation on Charlie the Tuna" line -- but this so-called "scandal" is overblown.
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