Sunday, July 16, 2000 -- WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (AmpolNS) -- The two major Presidential candidates -- and sideshow Prez-wannabes Pat Buchanan and Ralph Nader -- all showed up on the little screen this Sunday. 

Here's what we caught:

Fox Schmooze Sunday
Trent "Ironing Board" Lott forced to admit tobacco killers are "arrogant!"  What's the world coming to? 

Guest one -- Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott.  Lott said that he was "concerned" about the amount of a possible aid package to seal a peace deal in the Middle East.  Would Congress be willing to spend some of the budget surplus to secure peace?  Lott said he was "concerned" about paying for Palestinian resettlement (translation: screw the sand jockeys, we're more interested in torpedoing Clinton's so-called "legacy" than the cause of peace). Tony -- catch this -- actually asked if the peace effort was overhyped, and even Lott had to admit that Sandy Berger was saying not to play up hopes and that any progress, "that will be good and the next President can pick it up from there" (read: no matter what the outcome, we'll say Clinton failed).

Tony hardly has to mention the Clinton Administration at all these days -- the hard-righters make their own opportunities to bad-mouth Clinton.

Lott then turned to China, saying as expected that they are a "security problem" in reference to trade: "We're gonna have to deal with the Thompson-Torricelli amendment."  But again he had to concede that PNTR for China will pass.  When will you deal with China trade?  Tony laughed at Lott when he admitted that the Senate would drag its heels and not deal with it 'til the fall.  Lott said he would not be "intimidated."

Then -- estate taxes.  Lot had us laughing when he said "the death tax was unfair," then made it sound as if it hits every ethnicity and income bracket.  What a lie.  He then began harping on the family farm.  What a lie.  A little later he said again that it cuts across all income brackets. He's putting his lies into reruns during the same appearance!

Hey, Trent, if you're soooo concerned about the "American family farm," then write legislation that would make agricultural holdings exempt from the estate tax!

Here's the other truth -- rich fools who don't have the smarts to plan their estates and adjust their books so that their holdings don't get swallowed up by taxes probably deserve to pay the estate tax. 

Lott then said something goofy about laws that would help Bill Gates get prescription drugs; essentially, Lott was again lying when he implied that all he cares about is getting prescription drugs to the poor.

Well, if that's the case, Trent, then get behind the Democrat version of the bill.

Following the break -- oh, no, more Trent!  On the Veepstakes, Lott made a somewhat demeaning comment on McCain, which Tony called "lukewarm."  Lott then admitted that there is a chance that a pro-choice running mate may emerge from the GOP Philly convention (i.e. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge).  Did Dick Cheney (chief of the DumbYa veep search) call Trent?  Ha, ha, ha!  Tony, you're such a card -- embarrassing Trent that way!  Lott talked about all his favorite Neofascists who might make a good running mate, then praised the concept of "compassionate conservatism," talking about how his community reached out to his family in time of need.  When there's an unwed mother, he said., you don't say "You made a mistake, now go away," you say, "You made a mistake, here's a little help.

Hey Trent, what if the "unwed" mom was a rape victim?

Trent then dissed Clinton for keeping Dems "on the plantation" concerning welfare reform.  Trent, a good CCC member, wishes he could bring back the days of plantations, overseers and slavery.  When Trent started talking about the possibility of better relations with Mexico, he ignored the issue of the slum colonias on the Texas border and the victory of Vincente Fox over the establishment party in Mexico's presidential election.

Trent turned to the Florida tobacco ruling.  He defended an industry that helps addict and kill millions of people a year.  He praised efforts to "stop teen smoking" which are in fact stealth efforts to target teens.  He did admit that tobacco companies were arrogant, but only  when Tony prompted him.

Then, the "news" that Hillary Clinton allegedly uttered an "anti-Semitic comment" (Trent parroted the term) was briefly discussed -- Trent praised Lazio.  It's worth noting that the Murdoch-owned New York Post made this front-page headlines yesterday.

Gee, Trent, will you be so eager to support Lazio when some of the less0-that-gracious things he has said about minorities come to light?  We guarantee that the Post, whose employees and executives call Mrs. Clinton a "lesbian c*nt" and "f***ing leftist b*tch" in the safety of their editorial offices, don't dare run that on their front page.

Tony's next guests political "odd couple" Dick Morris and Susan Estrich.  Tony started by asking about the alleged Hillary comment, and Morris said it was believable -- then said that Hillary was "conscious" of talking to people who are Jewish.  He claimed that during a discussion about his payment for consulting, Hillary said "Money, that's all you people care about!"  Morris implied that she was talking about Jews.  Susan Estrich said the first thing that entered her mind was not Jews but political consultants!

Both are wrong -- when Hillary said you people, we think she was talking about right-wingers.

Tony said that Hillary had not "caught fire" in New York (well, gee, when conservative media control the news, are you shocked)?. Morris claimed that in the 70s and 80s, Southerners looked at Jews as "others."  You've gotta love it -- opportunist hatemonger Morris, the "victim."

Morris had to admit at the presidential level, the issues favor the Democrats -- but was wrong when he said the candidates are very much alike.  Juan Williams asked if there was something that the parties have to accomplish at their conventions.  Estrich then gave a wrong answer when she said if the election is about personalities, Bush wins.

Hey Susan, do you want a president who went AWOL from the Guard for a year?

Running mates -- oh, joy!  Estrich rattled off names, and said it makes no difference.  Morris said something truly dumb -- Gore will choose Gore.  Morris said Bush should choose McCain but pick Keating -- and announce that he would name Colin Powell Secretary of State. Estrich said that Bush would make a mistake not to pick a pro-choicer like Ridge -- but would not.

Panel time!  FOX O-Spin-Ion Dynamics have Bush 6 points ahead of Gore (real polls now have Gore in the lead -- with a 100-plus point lead in electoral votes).  The Gore-Bradley Lovefest!  The obnoxious and frequently inaccurate Washington Post reporter Ceci Connelly made some snide remarks about their "body language" -- and then said that Gephardt would make a shrewd move if he were the running mate (implying he'd run in 2004 -- and we all know what that means she assumes).  Connelly then said Gore changes slogans and logos every few hours.  Bill Salmon, right-wing Washington Times  reporter, blathered on about McCain's "Straight Talk Express."

Funny how none of them commented on Dems picking up on Hillary's labeling Rick Lazio's campaign the "double-talk express."

The first comment Tony made about the Florida tobacco verdict is that "the lawyers will get reeeeally rich."  Hey, Tony, they're mostly Republicans1  What's the problem?  Juan Williams said that the verdict proved that big tobacco is still the bad guy.  Tony made much of Lott calling big tobacco arrogant -- and Ceci brought up tobacco executives perjuring themselves before Congress.  Bill said that it would not kill big tobacco, but would, sadly (for him and his right wing brethren) embolden juries to award large damages.

Good, we say.

Tony then brought up the now-infamous incident in Philly of a group of cops appearing to "beat up" a perp who had stolen a police car.  Ceci dissed Gore for making crime his theme of the week next week.  Bill pointed out that black and white officers were "beating on this guy" -- and Tony said that the NAACP "would be prosecuting these police officers."  Juan pointed out that black parents fear what might happen to their kids in the street, but then pointed out that the perp in the Philly incident shot at police -- and predicted there may not be an indictment of the cops!

The McLaugh-In Group
John gives Dubya stature (yeah, right)

Issue one: NAACP -- Take Me!  I'm Yours!  Mad Emperor John played video bites of Shrubya Bush's tense, stiff appearance before the NAACP.  John said of his platitudes, "Well stated."

If you're a mannequin.

Michael Barone said 90% of GOPers will vote for Bush (what a stretch) and it's a good idea to pay attention to groups that do not necessarily agree with you (what a stretch).  Eleanor Clift said that Barone had stumbled onto the truth: to win, you have to confuse the voters -- while reassuring suburban voters.  Tony Blankley said that Bush is giving some comfort to middle-class white voters while trying to "peel off" middle-class black voters.  Jim Warren said that Bush was speaking to moderate middle-class suburban voters -- and buddying up with Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice works too.  Tony said that Bush will not lose his GOP base talking to the NAACP?

Will his appearance boost Bush's black vote?

Mike Barone: Marginally
Eleanor Clift: Marginally
Tony Blankley: It'll put him in the low teens -- we are moving into a new period of politics.
Jim Warren: Dole got 13%.
John :  No help at all.

Issue two: Fight the Power!  John ran a slew of sound bites of Gore saying he'd take on the powerful -- over the sound of Public Enemy's Fight the Power.  He then ran Gore's criticism of a "do-nothing Congress" that does nothing "for the people" -- then a little of his supercharged NAACP speech.  What's behind the anti-big-guy posturing?  Jim Warren blamed trade deals that have angered big labor.  John blamed oil prices and Ralph Nader!  Eleanor said Nader's running at 8% in Michigan (according to who? Ralph Nader?), and John said that Nader's emerging as a thorn in Gore's side.  Barone piled on, saying that people like Hoffa Jr. are "open" to Hoffa.  Then Barone was wrong when he said that Bush has the right wing of the GOP nailed down.  Barone then called Gore's denunciations of big business "antique."  Tony also was unusually wrong when he said that Gore is making a mistake, especially with people starting to buy stocks.

Tony -- he's criticizing big tobacco and big oil, NOT emerging tech companies.

John then bored us with Gore's very funny stunt in which he served Judge Judy muffins to make up for the Secret Service having to take over the green room.  There then followed a question about "posturing" by Gore that we missed.

Funny how John won't call Bush's appearance before the NAACP posturing -- and Jim Warren said as much.

Issue three: the Philly police are under the gun of the press!  Ha, ha, ha -- right, John, one TV helicopter.  Philly Police Chief John Timoney cautioned against a rush to judgment.  John said that two of the three cops that hit the Philly perp the most were blacks -- but Eleanor pointed out the perp had been shot five times.  Tony said that the perp was "still going after being shot.  Warren, like Timoney, cautioned against rushing to justice.

Issue four: nipping Napster!  Napster is a "political" issue?  Yes, it is -- because recording superstar Orrin Hatch held hearings on it!  Napster says their system stimulates music sales -- but bands and the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) disagree.

But here's the dirty little secret the RIAA and Napster do not want you to know -- mp3s on Napster do NOT sound as good as the original CDs!  One of our staffers has been involved with double-blind listening tests of mp3s versus the original CDs -- and could easily hear a quality difference!  Here's the other dirty little secret -- one major label executive says that lost revenues from Napster are not only "negligible" but that Napster DOES help sell CDs!

Eleanor said that the "e-economy has been coddled [because] Republicans do not want government intervention!"  John bristled -- but Eleanor's right.  Laissez-faire just ain't fair when it comes to big business "losing" money.

Final predictions!
Barone said Clinton is going to "take the advice of both Democrats and Republicans" and let  the next president make the decision on ABMs. 
Eleanor Clift said that Mrs. Clinton "will get her prime time at the Democratic Convention no matter what." 
Warren forecast " no full-bore Mid East peace accord at Camp David before the president heads off to Japan next week."
Tony forecast an Election Day surprise: two net Congressional seats to the Republicans in Minnesota. 
John McLaughlin said that Congressmen George Nethercutt (R-WA) will win a fourth term. Nothing like going out on a limb! 

Face the Nation
Even Bob can't make minor league presidential contenders look major 

Bob Schieffer opened by mentioning his two guests, Pat Buchanan and Ralph Nader -- and while he echoed the spin that Nader could steal voted from Gore, he also pointed out that Pat could cut into Bush's support -- making him one of the only pundits to point this out.

Pat sounded, if you can imagine it, more extreme than usual.  In response to possible developments in Middle East peace talks, Pat said that if peace is "bought with a bribe" that would give "Bill Clinton the Nobel Peace Prize... the American people should reject it."

Bullshit, Pat -- you're saying that  we and the world should spend even more down that road as the Middle East remains volatile and violence continues.  You're also lying when you claim this is some kind of play for a "Clinton legacy."  Here's the truth: King Hussein is gone.  So is Hafez Assad.  Barak is eager for peace.  So is Arafat.  There are huge hurdles, and a real window of opportunity.

The American People should -- and will -- reject you, your new isolationism, your cheapskate conservatism, your stealth bigotry, your unkind, un-gentle Neofascism.

Pat predicted that Bush will not appoint a pro-choice running mate.  We think he's hoping Bush does -- to "steal" anti-choice votes for his ultranationalist version of the Reform Party.  Pat took time to slam the "death tax" (how do you expect to make up that 1% of Federal revenue?).  He said he has "tremendous respect" for Ralph Nader and that Gore should worry about him.  He then dismissed the notion that he and Nader are "poachers and thieves."

We have to agree -- Pat and Nader are more like opportunists getting plenty of free press and publicity.

Ralph Nader was the next guest -- and talked about his "surprising" showing (i.e., inflated poll numbers).  He then lit into Al Gore for doing nothing to help the environment, calling him a "plastic politician."

Hey, Ralph -- you idiot -- get a clue.  You think the GOP-controlled Congress has ANY interest in fuel efficiency, industrial hemp, or alternate fuels ?

Gloria made Ralph himself look like a luddite when she mentioned that Nader neither owns a TV nor uses a PC!  She asked Ralph how anyone can take him seriously on high-tech issues when he doesn't use a computer!  Ralph said something lame about privacy.  Boy, is he out of touch.

Ralph predicted that the House would return to the Democrats (wow -- what a prediction) and said that he is seeking to get voters back into the voting booths.  Then Ralph attacked big tobacco in response to a question by Bob about "feeling sorry" for big tobacco -- Ralph feels sorry for people who became addicted as teenagers, then died as a result of addiction.

Ralph, like Pat, said he wants four-way debates before the November elections.  We say that they should be allowed to debate -- each other ONLY.  Now THAT would be entertaining!

Reliable Sources

The first segment of Reliable Sources focused on the Philadelphia police confrontation with a perp who had shot a cop.  Tom Rosenstiel of the Project for Excellence in Journalism focused on the fact that what the public saw was a very limited window into the incident.  Bernie Kalb praised Nightline for their in-depth analysis of the impact of the footage and the story, and Rosenstiel pointed out that footage almost causes journalists to become passive (i.e. sort of "captives" of the footage).

Howie Kurtz brought up the trial of Charles Bakaly, and pointed out that the New York Times knows what happened -- should they reveal their side of the story?  Rosenstiel said it would be helpful to the paper and the Bakaly trial.  Rosenstiel also pointed out that he's charged with lying about leaking.  Bernie also pointed out that the Times could resolve the case -- and joked about a Washington without leaks (unthinkable!!).  Rosenstiel said that Don Van Natta write a sentence likely designed to mask Bakaly...

...which of course cuts into Van Natta's credibility!

Eat the (Vice-)Prezz
Fat Tim attacks -- Gore fights back!

Al Gore starred on the show this week.

Naturally, Russert attempted to embarrass him by showing humiliating mistakes every candidate makes on the road. Gore told Russert that President Bill Clinton will in fact be helping on the campaign trail. 

Russert, of course, told Gore that Hillary Clinton is in trouble in New York, which is NOT the case and shows Tim for the hard-right operative he really is.  The fact is, internal GOP numbers show that Lazio, after an initial bump, is in trouble.

Gore's " problem" in Michigan is his tie to Clinton - - " the sins of the father" - - or so read the swinish Russert from some
deservedly unknown editorialist in the state of Michigan.

Gore denied this, and retorted that Americans are not interested in Bill Clinton's mistakes - but are interested in "prosperity and progress."  Now, we thought that was a little over the top in an interview situation. Staying on message is one thing -- but parroting your campaign slogan in a personal interview is reaching. 

This contest, said Gore, is really about who you are for (well, of course). Gore said he wants to continue prosperity
and progress. Oh, brother... however, staying on message IS the most important thing one can do as a candidate. And Gore did open up on George DumbBellYou Bush. 

Russert then turns to -- catch this -- Elian Gonzales, hoping to annoy Gore about his " break" with Clinton on the issue of the little boy who was sent back to Cuba this month after nearly a year of wasted court time. Gore thought the issue should have been sent to a family court. A Florida state court ruled that the Elian case could not be heard in a state court. And Russert told him that, for no reason at all, except to attempt to make Gore look stupid. 

"If Al Gore was President, would Elian be here now?" asked Russert foolishly. Gore just laughed in Tim's face and replied, "Well, that would depend on what the court said [you IDIOT!]." 

Russert then moved to a Saginaw, Michigan telecast -- again to make fun of Gore. Gore tried to stomp him by talking about a supporter. "' A chronic political panderer,' says Nader of Gore." Russert then spat out, "Mr. Consumer Advocate," referring to Gore (or Nader maybe?), and asked him about the fact that consumer regulatory agencies -- according to fruitcake Nader - - have all " rotted" during the Clinton-Gore Administration.

Well, first of all, Timmy, it is the Clinton Administration. A Vice President is nothing more than the guy who goes to unimportant state funerals. Second, who the hell is Ralph Nader but a secretly rich loser who made his money on the backs of American business? Most of his charges are lies. 

Now we are no friends of big industry, but Nader is a has-been. 

Russert and Gore went at it on debates, and Gore asked Russert if he would get Jack Welch (Chairman of GE) into the debate --- a not- so- indirect charge that General Electric has essentially ordered Russert to bash Clinton and Gore as much as humanly possible, and for which we have so much proof that were this another less free nation, Russert might be shot.

Throughout the full hour of Eat the Prezz, Russert said not one nice thing to Gore - - not one.  The comment on Welch ticked off Russert visibly.

Russert then began raising his voice over handguns! He was trying to call Gore a hypocrite because " nothing Clinton has proposed would protect anyone." Well, of course -- especially given the right-wing Congress, you idiot. Then Tim brings up things that Gore said about gun control sixteen years ago.

Russert snidely asked "changed your mind?"

Gore said he had, and explained why. 

Russert then turned to Social Security - - he read a comment from the trustee of the Social Security trust fund who said that by 2037 the program will go broke. Ha, ha, ha, ha - - well, at least Russert won't be alive then. In 2037 we will spend $4 trillion and only take in $3 trillion, claimed Tim. "People who have studied this, have said that Gore is relying on rosy scenarios and it is non-credible."

Gore simply complimented Russert as being a "bear" on this issue. Then he called Russert a liar "with all due respect" ( and not in those words). Russert then jumped in and raised his voice again "Where's the money gonna come from?!?!?"  Gore did not react, and just said he's coming to that -- then reminded Tim that surpluses could bring us to parity through 2057.

Russert then started silently screaming at Gore -- "You are basing your entire plan on surpluses that you don't know will be there!! You are guaranteeing surpluses for 40 years - who can do that?" Gore simply went on to say that this is the safest assumption according to the best projections. Russert then claimed that the Secretary of the Treasury says that the Social Security  system will be one third short by 2037. But this is a lie. He said this before the Gore plan.

Then Russert claimed that Gore backed private investment of SS funds. This is another lie. CLINTON backed the investment of GENERAL FUNDS in the private sector. 

Russert then spat and snarled at him -- "You based your entire premise on a robust economy, and then you attack Governor Bush for wanting to invest Social Security  funds privately by individual in the stock market, yet your plan relies on a healthy stock market to provide surpluses!!!!" Ha, ha, ha, ha! Talk about convoluted arguments. Under Bush's plan there will be winners and losers. And what will America do about the losers? asked Gore -- we will have to bail them out. 

Russert is so obvious, so digustingly transparent in his pro-Bush stance, that it's enough to make one puke to think this man claims to be a journalist. 

Then Russert tried to humiliate Gore on abortion. He read from a 1985 letter to Gore's Senate constituents that he was against federal funding on abortion.  Gore retorted that he did change his mind about federal funding later - - perhaps ten years ago in response to the insinuations of Russert - - the so-called Catholic pro-life man who never hesitates to hurt Chelsea Clinton and destroy the Clinton family and tried to as often as possible. 

Russert is just spitting by now, frustrated that instead of making Gore into a "hypocrite," Gore has exposed Russert as a stooge.  Russert, looking as if he were about to explode, asked Gore -- catch this -- when human life begins!!!

Gore says it seems to him there is a development of life in the mother, then went on to talk about how he will protect the woman's right to choose by not appointing " pro-life" justices.

Russert then moved on to minors getting abortions without parental consent and spits at Gore, who was saying this depends on what's going on. Russert keeps spitting out "You don't want parental permission - - a girl has to get permission to have her ears pierced!!!"

Hey, Tim, does the girl need permission before a blood relative commits incest?

Tim blathered on about a simple bill that calls for a judge to intervene and give permission. Then he talked about a federal statute that a woman on death row should not be executed if she is pregnant!  It was a total laff-riot -- what a moron Russert is! He must have failed Logic 101. 

Russert then started spitting about Federal laws to prevent the death penalty because Gore does support it -- yet we haven't heard Russert criticize Bush about killing 137 people in Texas by death without attention to how screwed up the Texas judicial system. So then, Russert read some other pap in which Gore stated that yes, there may be mistakes, but that does not exclude the death penalty. Russert - - the good Catholic -- begins arguing about that as well. 

Then he turned to that vital national issue: the Boy Scouts' anti-gay rule which the Supreme Court looked at this year. Gore said that he has not read that opinion. "Should the Boy Scouts be allowed to ban gays?" asked Russert, who looked as if he wanted to say "fags" instead.  Tim kept pressing Gore on this pressing non-issue, and Gore said over and over that he opposes all discrimination. He said he would give deference to the gay-basing Supremes, but he has not read the opinion. 

Russert then moved on to Star Wars. Gore talked about the botched tests we have witnessed of late. Russert just kept it up - - seemingly to promote Star Wars as a great idea (of course he does because GE has billions at stake in this program).

Russert thinks that the NEXT president should make this decision - not Clinton, although Clinton is the PRESIDENT, and that IS his decision to make. 

Russert then brought up the issue of money stolen in Russia from foreign aid provided by the USA and others. He read from a New York Times article that claimed that Gore did not "want to hear" anything bad about Chernomyrdon - - and
scrawled a crude comment across the top of the page of a CIA report that said Chernomyrdon was corrupt. Now, even the CIA itself has admitted this report was sloppy and full of misstatements. Gore just laughed at Russert (something he should have done more often) and told him that he never scrawled across any report, especially from the CIA, but went on to say that Chernomyrdon also told the Administration the truth and acted as he promised. 

Russert then brought Putin's obstructions of the free press in Russia. Gore agreed that this is a problem. 

By the way, we'd like to point out that GE had more commercials that ever on Meet the Press - - and the other big sponsor for Fat Tim is now Philip Morris, the Cancer people. Does Russert have any conscience at all?

In Washington, the local NBC affiliate went blank for more than 11 seconds after the GE and Morris commercials. We wonder what happened.

If we were Gore, we would have taken the opportunity to stand up, punch Russert in the face, and expose him for what he is - - a shill, a total fraud. 

To begin his final assault on Gore, Russert mentioned the Hsi Lai temple event. He went over all the " evidence" that Gore " knew" this was a "fundraiser."  What a little prick!

Here's a fact Tim does not want you to know: even if it were a fundraiser, there was nothing illegal about Gore being there.  There was something illegal about certain kiss- ass people like Charlie Trie and Johnny Chung -- but the Veep did not know about this - - he was to have gone to another fundraiser which was canceled that day.

Then the screen went blank - - the segment resumed in mid- sentence, as if NBC took off the eleven seconds on purpose. 

Russert then moved to Gore's attendance at " White House" coffees and the issue of fundraising in the White House.
Russert basically called Gore a liar -- over an over again.

Gore said he had misinterpreted the NYT question about coffees in the White House OR THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING.

More facts Tim is avoiding: first of all, there is nothing illegal about holding coffees in the White House.  Reagan did it regularly, and so has every President in one way or another.  Russert knows this -- yet he kept up the assault on Gore.

Tim then quotes Lanny Davis, who claimed the coffees were fundraisers in a book. Again, they were not. Yes, people who gave the President or promised the President lots of money for his reelection were treated to a meeting with many others present. All Presidents have done similar or more cynical things. And who forces this type of activity?  The GOP, which is the WHORE to corporate demands in the United States.

Democrats, who are not supported by far as much by business, must fight back -- or the entire nation would be run by hypocrite lawmakers who are the majority in the GOP- controlled House.  

Russert took a final break - - but says he is coming back "WITH A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION!" -- which of course was about football and the Buffalo Bills and "proof" that an illegal forward pass was made by the Tennessee team.

The Veep puts up a declassified Satellite photo which proves that it was not a forward pass! Ha, ha, ha, ha!

Of course, Gore exposed Russert with that "joking" move for what he is: a liar, and a pathological liar. Gore never lost his temper, never raised his voice. He was a consummate gentleman, while Russert was, as always, the street urchin he has always been. 

To close the show, Russert shows an ADM (Supermarket of Cash to the Congress) spot to drive home what a hypocrite he really is.

It's worth noting that at this point, ABC was running an ad telling the Congress that we must have Star Wars, and a commercial about voluntary contraception.

This Weak
DumbYa -- Dumber'n'ever!

Is this a repeat? Or are Scam and Cocky Bush operatives?

Their guest -- none other than George DumbBellYou Bush -- who proved dumber than ever!

Scam talked first about reproductive choice and pro-life issues. He showed a spot where Dr. James "Beat Your Kids" Dobson, a Satan on earth, warned Bush that if he does not pick a pro-life running mate, he will not be elected president.

What a laugh! Sure, Dobson. The fact is, Dobson -- who controls maybe a thousand votes (from his bastard children, we suspect) -- couldn't deny the office of dog catcher to anyone. 

Bush said he intends to get elected -- and basically said, without saying it, that Dobson could not do anything to him. He is right.  

He talked about " added value" of the Vice Presidency. 

Scam wondered whether Shrubya will make "one more run" for Colin " Bowel." Turns out Powell wants to be the Secretary of  State (you've gotta laugh) with absolutely no background to do so. Powell would change this cabinet position to Secretary of WAR, that's for sure -- and more accurately, Secretary of LOSING Wars, a la Desert Trickle. 

Scam asked whether Gore was right when he said that Bush failed to spend $10 million for school lunches in Texas. Scam also tells Bush that he now has billions in short falls in the Texas budget. BushBaby claimed that Texas has a surplus! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Sure, Shrub. "This is fiscal management!" shouted Bush.

Bush then quotes Bill Bradley calling Gore a liar as he drowned in his own venom.

Scam quoted Dr. Michael Moore calling Texas a third world nation insofar as education goes. He should have added as a racist state as well.  Scam then reminded BushBaby that BushDaddy attacked Dukakis over and over again -- unfairly. BushBaby did not respond. 

Cocky talked about the Florida tobacco lawsuit and the award of about 150 billion to cancer victims. Bush said -- if you can believe this -- that he is " worried about the litigious nature of our society!!!" If that doesn't have you rolling on the floor, he then said that they are doing something about smoking in Texas -- get this -- "by telling kids not to smoke."

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. What a liar AND a moron! 

After Cocky shows the latest film the Philadelphia Police - - by the hundreds -- kicking a black criminal on the street for minutes, Bush said that the Federal government should not intervene! Ha, ha, ha, ha! He believes in local control of government!!!

Well, we guess that's clear, because he would never have backed the Federal Government intervening in Alabama, Mississippi and Texas when they were allowing blacks to be lynched, forbidden from colleges, and getting no education at all -- which continues in all three of those states in general. 

Bush got mad when asked about the death penalty. What a child . This idiot just doesn't understand that some people abhor taking a human life - - especially when they get NO defense during trial in Texas.  

Guess what? The first commercial came from Jack Welch and GE!!  

Thank the Lord that Scam and Cocky can't stand Bush and know him for what he is: a nothing who got himself elected as Governor or Texas by lying, cheating, paying off his rich friends, and bashing and bad-mouthing the wonderful Anne Richards. 

Cocky, who now has her hair looking like Peter Pan (no doubt after reading our insult about her schoolmarm look), does look better. In fact, she is becoming a bit of a fox!  Mrrrrroooowwww... 

Cocky then brought up the Texas law which does not allow evidence of mistrial from the original trial to the appeals court -- and of course proves that no one gets a fair shake in Texas if they are poor. What Cocky should have asked was what percentage of the people Bush pulled the switch on were white and/or rich. Bush claimed the people are convicted by a jury of their peers!

Sure, describe that to us, Flunky.

Then he said he would have brought the "Dough-See- Eh" of the trial so he and Cocky could discuss it. Then he claims that he has never executed an innocent person. Cocky asked, "How can you be sure?"

He said because he reads the transcripts or his "lawyers" do. More likely his lawyers, we say.

Cocky then asked about prescription drugs. Bush is such a punk that he cannot be genteel. He stammers and spits out everything as would a teen-aged gang member. Bush said that the Medicare program is failure because it does not include prescription drugs.

But here's a fact: his father allowed that to go on for twelve years -- and fought the concept even before that when he was in Congress. BushBaby wants to " reform" Medicare, but he said he doesn't know how.

Of course he does. He won't change a thing that will hurt big pharmaceutical companies.

Bush thinks entitlement programs are very important - - but let's make sure they are around tomorrow. He refused to talk about the Clinton-proposed deal for a " death tax on the rich" abatement in exchange for his drug program for seniors. 

Cocky then brought up Medicare and Social Security.  

Bush claimed there are no guarantees in the Social Security system.

What is he talking about? Those benefits are guaranteed - - and any changes to them can only affect those NOT YET in the system, not people who have already contributed to the system for years. 

Bush said he will protect people that are ON social security. Bush said there will not be any cuts - - to anyone ( "I just won't accept that, Cokie!") -- and yet everyone who has studied the Bush plan knows that he is planning to cut benefits by increasing the retirement age so you have maybe two or three years before you croak to live off it. That's a crime. 

Bush also wants young people to invest at least 20% of their social security themselves. Ha, ha, ha, ha -- yeah, they would have lost more than 60% of the worth of those stock portfolios because most them would have invested in companies like amazon.con... er .com, on the brink of bankruptcy along with 50% of its colleague dot com companies, who got rich by stealing money from investors in our opinion. 

Scam fired back and claims that Bush only wants 2-3% of the money self-invested. Bush said the safest investments yield twice what the SS system yields now. He said that the returns now are 1929 returns.

Ha, ha, ha, ha - - there were no returns then, you idiot. 

What the moron Bush does not comprehend is that if all that money were unleashed into the stock markets it could actually cause a crash - - too much money chasing too little value, which is already almost the case. Bush, who knows nothing about economics, better keep the Clinton economic team on board because under Reagan-Bush this country went $450 billion in debt, and increased its foreign trade imbalance by 1800 percent! 

Then Scam and Bush engaged in an argument because Bush kept dodging all the questions.

Bush waffled on the Star Wars system, which is a failure. Bush said he wants to go through with the system no matter what -- and he will make it one of his " top priorities" -- to make certain the men who paid him off this year will get repaid a hundred times over. 

Bush answered the question of an open Mexican border, as proposed by President-Elect Fox ( similar in position to the present Canada-U.S. arrangement), by saying he would have to talk to Fox about what he really meant - - but the U.S. must enforce his borders, and he wants full implementation of NAFTA.  Huh? What the hell is he talking about? 

Bush claimed that NAFTA will keep Mexican workers closer to home. Sure. Hey, Bush - - don't you know that American companies and others doing business in Mexico pay those people slave wages? 

Bush deployed his latest campaign slogan -- he said he wants to challenge "the soft bigotry" (we wonder how many days his lying consultants took to come up with that one).

What soft bigotry means to Bush is HIDING YOUR BIGOTRY behind the ridiculous proposition that people can pick themselves up all by themselves and be successful even in a state like Texas, where bigotry is the state creed.

What Bush wants you to think is that every leader in this nation and across the world that recognizes how " terrible" bigotry can " cripple" a person is wrong -- and that the "truth" is that programs attempting to ameliorate this "natural condition" are really bigoted themselves!

Talk about GOP new speak! Ha, ha, ha, ha! 

"Soft bigotry," my butt -- how about HARD BIGOTRY, which Bush has practiced all his life>  How about the HARD BIGOTRY of Dubya selling his own home with a deed that barred "Nigras" from moving into the house? This is an unconstitutional and illegal codicil in any deed or sales document. Bush simply left it in, we suppose, to " protect" his buyers and to telegraph to the rest of the bigots in the country who support him that he's one of them.

He is not " scared" about his upcoming coronation. He said that Cocky's question about who will be his Vice Presidential choice is "good reporting." Ha, ha, ha, ha. He then said he will win Florida.

We've seen the numbers. No chance, El Shrubbo! 

Bush constantly drops his G's - - pronouncing words like a hick, such as talk'n' and smok'n' and driv'n' and learn'n'. Ha, ha, ha, ha -- what an Ivy Leaguer. Cocky said that BushDaddy made one of the best speeches ever made at a convention!!! What a laugh! Wasn't that the one where he promised Americans "Read my lips: No New Taxes!" -- then went ahead, raised taxes, and added new taxes -- over and over? 

Bush said he welcomes debates! Ha, ha, ha, ha! WE can't wait until he meets Gore in a debate.  

Bush then said "If you think I'm gonna pander to you, you're wrong!" when Scam suggest that Bush and Gore debate on This Weak.  Dream on Scam. 

Bush, for the second time, mentioned Bill Bradley's lies about Gore being a liar. 

Scam said again that Bush claimed that Gore has a problem with the truth.

So Bush, we ask you: what is the truth about your having gone AWOL from the Air National Guard?  What is the truth about your drunkenness?  What is the truth about your cocaine addiction?  What is the truth about your fixed cocaine possession trial?  What is the truth about your " public service" sentence while black men your age were sentenced to 25 to life for similar offenses?  What is the truth about  your ill treatment of your family as a drunk?  What is the truth about  your vicious arguments while drunk with your own mother and father?  What is the truth about your having MURDERED whoever took your place in Vietnam, because you cut to the head of the line, and were unqualified to be a pilot of any kind?  What is the truth about your payoffs to the crooked funeral industry and your cover-up of that? 

Tell us about those allegations, and then we will listen to you . . . maybe. 

Bush, you're a sociopath -- a pampered, coached poseur who has about as much right to run for President of the United States as John Belushi -- whose "Blutarsky" character in Animal House was reportedly modeled after you!  If you had any integrity, even the slightest bit of pride, at your coronation in Philadelphia you would resign as a candidate. 

George Staphylococcus commented on Gore's attacks on Bush's Texas record. Staph ( who looks like hell) and his dwarfish persona seemed for once  to shine. 

Scam talked about Bush's shanty towns -- the colonias near the Mexican border -- and asked whether this will have an impact. Cocky stupidly said that you can see poor places anywhere. What a bitch! Hey, cretinette, we DARE you to pay a visit to these destitute border "towns" where nearly 500,000 Hispanic Americans live with no running water, no schools, no educational system, no food and no jobs -- in Bush's Republic of Texas. As a matter of fact, during year five of the BushBaby Administration - - that's this year -- he gave them one water line and some sewer pipes to cut the problem of disease in these concentration camp hamlets!!

Cocky -- it's time for you to resign yourself.  You don't know a thing about reality. 

The idiots sit  around and talk about Gephardt as a VP. We'll say it right here: there is no chance of that. Gephardt could never deliver even a single vote for Gore -- nor does he have any coattails to bring a majority to House for Democrats. Gephardt?  No way!  Right now Senator Graham of Florida is in the number one position.

Cocky calls Hillary Clinton "Tammy Wynette," standing by her man.  Smart ass.

That was it for the non-dynamic duo.

CNN Late Edition

We tuned in for the first half hour of Late Edition.

Bravo to LE for making the tobacco settlement issue one -- and inviting HHS Secretary Donna Shalala to discuss the issue with Wolf Blitzer's substitute, the much-underrated Judy Woodruff.

Hey, CNN, why not just dump Wolf and let Judy run the show?

Shalala praised the jury decision to punish the principal tobacco companies and their shills some $150 billion and said that it sends a message that these companies are going to have to change the way they do business.  The "between the lines" meaning: current "anti-smoking" ad campaigns are not sufficient, and that tobacco companies, while likely to be around for awhile, now face even greater federal scrutiny.

Shalala also discussed more aid for Alzheimer's research -- in light of the announcement of major developments announced this week, including therapeutic and potential vaccine breakthroughs.  Her unspoken message -- now is the time to step up investment, as these breakthroughs are real -- and have ramifications for other diseases of the brain.

Woodruff asked Shalala about the global AIDS situation -- including a mounting number of orphans.  Shalala said that if America can find a way to cover prescription drugs, it can move to stem the spread of AIDS.

The second segment continued the discussion of health issues on a more personal note.  Maureen Reagan talked at length, and very movingly, about her family's coming to grips with her dad's continuing struggle with Alzheimer's -- and the reality of his daily deterioration.  No, the segment was not overtly political, but it was timely in light of medical breakthroughs and the political battle over prescription coverage for the elderly -- and the hope that average pensioners might have access to medicines that former President Reagan has.

Calling the Tune

We were sort of surprised that the Sunday shows said so little about the Middle East peace negotiations.  Usually they get tiffed when the Clinton Administration locks the press out of these sort of dealings; there was hardly a peep of protest from the talking heads.

But there was no mention of an operative for the Bush Campaign having met with Israeli officials in what appeared to be a naked attempt to both politicize and scuttle the talks. Richard Perle, a staunch Cold Warrior, urged Israeli prime minister Barak not to agree to any settlement which left the Jerusalem question unresolved.

Perle should keep his fat mouth out of diplomatic matters.  In fact, we think that the Department of Justice should look into Perle's underlying motives.

There was also one other matter on which the Sunday spinmeisters were mum: an Texas jury determined that the government is not liable for the deaths of religious fanatics in Waco, Texas back in 1993 when electric-guitar-wielding self-proclaimed messiah Vernon Howell (stage name: "David Koresh") used missteps by FBI officials as an excuse to murder his followers in a conflagration that consumed their shabby little compound.

They just HATE it when Janet Reno is not made to look bad.