Sunday, December 10, 2000 -- NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (AmpolNS) -- It was a practical given that the right-leaning pundits would, to a person, be chewing over the quashing of free elections and accurate vote counts with the highly partisan 5-4 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, led by the seedy and unaccountable "Fat Tony" Scalia, to halt the precise counting of undervotes in the state of Florida pending a hearing on Monday -- and letting the Little George Brigade explain why this is such a good thing for "our democracy."

After all, these pundits and big-mouths know so much better than we, the mere hoi-polloi, how effective and dignified a Cheney-Card Administration will be for their corporate overlords.

Face it -- with a guy up to his neck in Iran-Contra and a former lobbyist for some of the worst polluters in America in charge, things can't help but get better for the media's bottom line.

Our staff was short-handed this week, so we caught three of the worst offenders.

The McLaugh-In Group!

The real issue one: McLaugh-In was taped before the Supreme Court stopped the counting!

McLaugh-In started by saying "The Parachute Opens" -- Gore's parachute.  He gave his spin on the details of the Florida court -- with NO VIDEO -- because it was obvious to Pope John McLaugh-In and his producers that something just might transpire on Saturday!  Michael Barone naturally called the Florida Supreme Court, who had ruled to let the re-counting begin, a bunch of judicial activists.  As he talked, a post-production Chiron message about the U.S. Supreme Court having halted the count crossed the screen!  Eleanor Clift said that the U.S. Supreme Court would be hard-pressed to stop the counting.  WRONG for once, Eleanor!... but we still love you anyway.  Tony Blankley, usually one of the more coherent ultra-right spinners, sounded a little down as he talked about a "constitutional crisis" and "nightmare scenario."

Hilarious -- the nightmare being not the conflict between the legislature and courts, but Al Gore!  The horror!  The HORROR!

Gerald Baker from the Financial Times said it was too early to write Gore's obituary -- we wonder what he'd have said late yesterday!

There was some pap about counting undervotes -- Barone slammed dimpled chads and no standards, Eleanor talked about voter intent.  Is it possible, after a tally of undervotes, that Bush might win, asked John (as he plugged Barone's very useful Almanac of American Politics)?  Barone said yes.  Tony said that timeliness will be an issue -- in the courts.  Baker, a Brit we like, said that "even the most pah-ti-ZAN person" could see that there is a sizable issue about the undercounts.  Barone parroted the official Team Bush spin -- there's been a count and a recount.  Tony (who was, by the way, stylin' in a hound's-tooth blazer and pink tie) was also spouting James-Baker-speak.  Eleanor said America watched so much of this unfold on TV -- and saw a fair process (well, not yesterday, Eleanor).  John, at the end of the segment, said that the Florida Supreme Court made a political decision -- what a shock (not) to hear that from John! 

Issue two: Florida's legislature meeting to anoint a Bush slate of electors. Yawn.  But the final question had an interesting answer: If the Florida legislature sends a slate of electors, will they pay a political price?
Barone: Yes!
Eleanor: Yes!
Tony: Yes, but it will also pay if they do not act.
Baker: Yes, with Governor Jeb Bush the biggest payer.
John to Baker: You're right!

Hilarious predictions!
Barone: "Look for Medicare reform if Bush wins" -- and a big payoff for the biggest pharma corporations.
Eleanor Clift: "President Clinton will act to save the Tongass forest before he leaves office."
Tony Blankley: the GOP will "share a fair amount of power in the Senate with the Democrats" because they see the writing on the wall -- he did NOT mention health problems plaguing both Thurmond and Helms, but that is a VERY big issue within the Senate GOP caucus.
Gerard Baker: "The US Economy will shrug off all this concern about the election and come in for a perfectly smooth soft landing. " 
John McLaughlin, in one of his weirder and more isolationist rants, said that with Europe " moving with exceptional speed to field an autonomous all-Europe army," that BOTH Bush and Gore would say to themselves, " 'why does the United States need NATO, especially when we will have inevitable military actions of our own and we want them to be executed under un-ambiguous American command?' "

In your dreams, Your Holiness -- NATO needs us, and we will use a Euro-army NATO to our interests.

Meet the Puppet
Starring Charlie McRussert, ventriloquist dummy for the GOP

"Bush Vs. Gore -- still no winner -- 33 days after the election!"

Tim Russert's first guest was James Baker.

Question one to Baker: what is the best argument you can make tomorrow?  Baker, after a rambling tip of the hat to Fat Tony Scalia, said that he would say that the Florida Supreme Court changed the rules.  Tim jumped in: what rules?  Baker gave a rambling answer ending with the assertion that the court changed the rules by ordering a manual count of undervotes -- and "that's not permissible, in our view, under article II of the U.S. Constitution." He claimed that there was no counting standard -- and that there are undervotes in every state (as if that were an excuse).  "The whole idea runs counter to what was laid out by the Florida legislature." Baker said that the court was using the contest law to make law.

Tim quoted Scalia's weasel wording that the five justices who voted for the stay may well rule in favor of Bush.  Baker tried to deny it -- but admitted that he believes that there is a strong chance of success.  Tim then quoted Stevens' dissent - -and criticism of Scalia's lack of judicial restraint.  Are you afraid, asked, Tim, to have every vote counted?  Baker asked what a legal vote was.  Oh, please -- Baker was arguing in essence that white votes are MORE legal than those made in black precincts stuck with unreliable Votematic machines.

Baker then scoffed at the partial recount of undervotes.  Tim read part of a New York Times editorial urging the court not to rule against the count of undervotes -- and raised the issue of legitimacy of Little George should he "win."  Baker said that everyone is entitled to their opinion as he implied that the Times was partisan and liberal (ha, ha, ha -- tell that to Bill Clinton).  Tim presented a "nightmare" scenario (for Tim's hard-right pals) -- reporters find that Gore won.  Baker again scoffed, asking about "what standard" would be used, how reporters would "divine the intention" of voters -- then implied that news organizations would themselves reach a partisan conclusion.  "The system is not workable, it is not fair."

But even that comment by Baker cuts both ways.  The press says little about how open to manipulation and corruption Florida's election system is.  The system -- in Florida -- clearly does not work and decidedly favors right wingers.

Tim asked, "If the court rules 5-4 to begin the recount, will you abide by the result?"  Baker first sidestepped the question, then said "I'm not sure I know what you mean, 'Will we abide by the result?'"

Do you believe it?  We ran it through our spin checker, and here's what he really said: "We won't abide by ANY result that denies Little George the crown and throne to which he is entitled by birth!  Goddammit, Russert, you're starting to sound like a f&@#$ing DEMOCRAT!  What next -- questions about Bush's OTHER DUIs?  His drug use?  Back off, smarty-pants, or I'll tell Jack Welch to have you skinned alive!"

Tim then quoted Neo-Nazi Tom DeLay's hissy-fit about the Florida Supreme Court.  Baker -- who we hear cannot stand DeLay and wishes he would crawl back under a rock -- distanced himself from what he nearly called over-the-top rhetoric.

Can the country heal form the political scars of this race?  Baker said yes -- essentially declaring that the nation must pull together behind Little George.

Tim then welcomed David Boies and quoted a swath of Scalia's thuggish and unrestrained ruling.  Boies, ever the gentleman, said he understands Scalia's concerns -- but that the dissent had it right when they said that not counting the undervotes casts illegitimacy on the Florida results.  Boies said he does not think the American people like being told that they can't be trusted with the facts!

BRAVO -- it's about time someone said it.  This was not only a rebuff of the Fat Tony faction on the Supreme Court, but also applied to the pundit mafia.

Tim then ran video of a number of Gore people, including Boies, talking about preliminary recount results and claimed that Boies somehow violated a court order.  Boies gave lie to Russert's specious assertion, pointing out that a contempt order was rejected and that the court order applied NOT to the parties but the court procedures.  Tim just plain looked like a fool implying Boies was a scofflaw.  Boies then expressed surprised at Tim's claim that Bush allegedly got a NET gain of 45 in Miami-Dade

Tim then quoted losing Florida Justice Wells' fretting in his ruling over a Constitutional crisis and dimpled chads.  Tim again pushed the claim of no counting standards that dissenting justices and Baker have glommed onto.  Boies explained that Florida laws are not terribly different than in the rest of the country and make their decisions at the local level.  Tim talked about the change in standards of counting in Miami-Dade as if it were a scandal.  Boies first said that nobody has asked that overvotes should be counted.  He added that candidates have the right to contest groups of votes -- but should have added that that is where one almost always finds evidence of election-rigging.  Further, he said, the counting machines tend to miss votes.  Tim tried to focus on the 60,000 undervotes and got his facts wrong on 175,000 votes -- Boies had to correct him, saying that these overvotes are out, including a large number of people that voted for Gore AND Buchanan.  Tim then lied -- saying you could create this scenario in practically any state.  Boies countered that it's common to ask for a manual recount -- and again should have been more emphatic, adding, where were the calls from the Bush camp for recounts?

Tim then asked about certification and Florida law.  Boies pointed out that the issue is a "contest" or challenge to the certified count.

But he also said that if the Supreme Court rules against Gore, that's pretty much the end of it.

Boise gently, smilingly, but very forcefully, took Tim Russert, threw him in the pail and mopped the floor up with him completely, exposing him for the idiot he was. Russert did NOT know his facts. Man, did Boise make him look like a rank amateur who had just gotten a chance to interview the great man. -- Cecilia Price

Having no doubt been reminded by his GOP handlers that you ALWAYS have to cast Democrats as scandal-tainted, Tim then asked Boies about a claim by a right-wing "legal watchdog" group that Boies submitted a somehow phony affidavit concerning Illinois dimpled chads -- specifically, that Boies never filed an amended affidavit that one Mr. Lavalle had submitted.  Boies called it reckless and asked Tim if he had ever read the deposition in question -- that Mr. Lavalle's FIRST affidavit was the one that WAS accurate and he had been set up by a caller who selectively quoted that very affidavit, setting up what was in effect a BOGUS second affidavit.  Boies made it pretty clear that the skullduggery around this affidavit makes it look like a set-up -- and that he does not see the complaint going anywhere.

We have to wonder if that phone call came from a friend of the right wingers that wish to impugn Boies.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Stockbrokers) was next.  He said he disagrees with the stay of counting -- but respects the votes.  He did bring up the "specter of legitimacy" being a problem for Bush -- and that a good canvassing board can make common-sense decisions on voter intent.  Rep. Dick Armey (R-Brownshirt) slammed the Florida Supreme Court for being activist.  Tim said that Armey called the Florida Supreme Court partisan.  Armey vehemently denied it.  Tim showed Armey the quote.  Armey was busted!  He had to say he said it -- and did!

What an idiot -- attempting to LIE to the American People like that!  Armey, it is time for you to resign!  NOW!

Armey tried to skewer Dodd on the issue of standards.  You have to love it -- the "states and localities should be empowered" Republicans hypocritically saying that localities should not be empowered to establish voting standards -- even if they have different ballots, boxes, voting machines, voter rolls, and so on.  We were roaring with laughter.

Tim then played video of Little George saying he loved Fat Tony, and Gore pointing out that Scalia's a far right justice (we wish he'd added "judicial activist").  Armey called Scalia a really, really smart guy.  Dodd called on GOPers to stop slamming the judiciary in an irresponsible manner.  Armey said that the credibility of the court is called into question when they make political rulings -- and Dodd said the credibility of the court is called into question when people like Armey assail the court with partisan rhetoric.  Armey tried to get in a last word.

Has anyone else out there noticed that Armey, even at his best, sounds as if he's trying to talk through a mouthful of marbles? He's not exactly the epitome of articulate.  We honestly wonder why the political chat shows keep inviting him back -- unless one of the bookers IS out to make the GOP look less than coherent.

The final word -- al nicey-nicey "we're going to come together no matter who is president" from both Dodd and Armey.

Somehow, we kinda doubt it.

This Weak
Sam roughs up Baker a little.  What's going on?

James Baker, the mouthpiece for the Cheney-Card team and their fake president wannabe Little George,  was the first guest on This Weak.

And Sam "The Scam" Donaldson roughed him up a little.  What's going on?  Is it true -- are Sam and Cokie about to get sacked because of This Weak's terrible ratings?  Do they know it -- and, now that they are not totally beholden to the ultra-right bozos that run Disney, are they getting tough with Republicans?

Judge for yourself.   

Sam asked Baker if he thought it was "all over now."  Of course, Baker would never say yes -- instead he said that he'd present the best case he could tomorrow.  Sam said that Supreme Court Justice Stevens said the decision would cast doubt on the entire electoral process.  Baker, of course, fell back on Fat Tony Scalia's ruling.

Sam then started to poke and prod Baker verbally as he replied by turning Scalia's comment on "legitimacy" upside down, saying that if the people saw that Gore won the popular vote, then there'd be BIGGER questions of legitimacy.  Baker's reply ended with his saying "our democracy is bigger than this" -- in other words, people are such sheep that they'll accept Little George's legitimacy.

Then Sam got out the big hammer -- the first time in quite a while he's been tough on a Bush Baby Brigade member -- replying that the Florida Supreme Court had used the legislative statutes to reach their decision.  Baker LIED, saying that they had, but had "invented a whole new scheme," and that they had somehow defied the U.S. Supremes.  Baker decried a lack of standards for counting undervotes -- you've gotta love the hypocrisy of a team that says localities should be in charge of education but not in charge of counting ballots.  Which is it, Jimmy?

Baker was starting to sound defensive and... well, snippy like his purported boss as talk turned to the details of the Florida court rulings.  Sam again fired away, using the Florida Supremes' critique of Judge Sanders Sauls for not looking at any ballots.  Baker said that Sauls could not determine liability and LIED again, saying he examined the evidence.  Sam nailed him a second time, reiterating that Sanders Sauls never even looked at the ballots.

So what happens if Gore wins -- will Bush say, "He's my president?"  Baker said he believes BOTH candidates will do so.

David Boies was up next.  Is it all over?  Boies said no, and that while the court did interrupt the count, his job is to convince the Supremes that the counting must continue.  Is Justice O'Connor "your best bet?"  Boies said he was "no expert" on the Supreme Court (right -- tell that to Bill Gates).  Sam quoted Scalia's false claim that some of what were being counted are not in fact legal votes.  Boies said that if votes are not counted, then there is the belief that the votes were in fact there for Gore -- and we'd find out through the Florida Sunshine Laws.  Sam was following the same sequence of questions he had with Baker, asking about the issue of legitimacy, then asking about the Florida Supremes making up new laws -- but going much easier on Boies, giving him more room to maneuver, explain, and -- yes -- spin.  Boies gave the lie to the claim that Florida's top judges were making new laws, saying that the Florida court acted as they had for decades.  Not so surprisingly, Boies said NOTHING about the Supreme Court undermining states' rights -- which may well be his tack tomorrow.  Boies instead pointed to the Florida ruling pretty much reiterating the wording of Florida law.  Sam then quoted Fla. Justice wells' comment on a "constitutional crisis."  Is he wrong?  Boies said that he was the only Florida justice who felt that way -- and even the other two judges who voted against Boies had not gone that far in their opinions.

Sam brought out the "running out of time" issue, which handed  Boies an opportunity to say that this had been a GOP tactic all along -- even though the undervotes can be counted in a matter of hours.  Sam tried to get Boies to say that the courts were acting in a partisan manner -- which is true -- but Boies refused to go along.  "We will accept the rule of law," whichever way it goes.  So will Gore say "Bush is my president?"  Boies emphatically stated that he THINKS so.

We think, however, that Gore and his team are so infuriated by the lies, tactics, and overwhelming arrogance of Team Bush and their allies in Florida that IF Gore loses in Florida on a technicality, it still won't be over -- and Gore will say nothing until after the electors vote... that is, if Congress does not intervene.

"Cocky" Cokie Boggs Roberts interviewed the next guest, Dick Gephardt.  On the issue of legitimacy if the court votes 5-4,  Gephardt said that America has to see it through and accept the rule of law -- but hopes that the court does not rule against counting the people's votes.  Cokie brought up the issue of Reagan-Bush appointees voting against Gore, and Gephardt said that assuming politicization helps no one -- and "we've all been wrong many times," with the result being unexpected changes.

A hint of the Democrats' strategy perhaps?

Gephardt said the big issue is that America has to show it can decide a tied election.

Cokie pointed out some saying that Tom DeLay sent down activists to disrupt the Miami-Dade vote count -- the first time this issue surfaced on the major-network pundit shows.  Gephardt recounted the chronology: Miami-Dade recounts, finds a lot of uncounted votes for Gore, protesters go down and threaten, the count stops.  Gephardt should have been more assertive -- and named the names of these thugs whose salary is paid by YOUR tax dollars as we have here!  Click here to see their names.

Given that Democrats say votes were never counted, with ties in every branch of government, how do we solve this?  Gephardt said that we should put our faith in government, and we are a peaceful nation of laws that must move forward.

Yes, it all sounds well and good, but Gephardt should have also made a point of the corruption in Florida.

Texas Senator Phil Gramm was next -- he talked about both "stress on the system" and a stable process, after which he lied and said all the votes had been counted.  Cokie stopped him, asking him about GOP attacks on the Florida Supreme Court, especially by Tom DeLay.  Gramm admitted that DeLay used "strong words," but in a manner so as to distance himself from DeLay, who is becoming politically radioactive of late within his own party (what gives there?).  Gramm added that judges are not always angels (a not-so-subtle attack on the judges).  When Cokie asked, then, if they were devils, Gramm deflected to the issue of counting votes.  Cokie asked about a virtually tied House, Senate, Court and presidential tally -- and some calls for the Cheney-Card Administration to go "full steam with their agenda."  Gramm, not-so-brightly, said that if Bush could sell the agenda to the people, he could sell it to Congress.  But shouldn't Bush be putting more Democrats in the Cabinet?  Shouldn't the GOP be putting more Dems on committees?  Gramm actually said that such a move could undermine GOP legislation -- in other words, the GOP has NO intent of engaging in mushy bipartisanship!

The "ground round table" followed.  George Will LIED and said that the Florida Supreme Court defied the U.S. Supreme Court.  George Stephanopoulos (whom we love to call "Staphylococcus" for his infectious betrayal of Democrats everywhere) sounded for once like a Democrat and said he could not disagree more strongly with Will, saying the Florida Supreme Court ruled based on Florida statutes.  Will kept up the spin -- saying that Fat Tony Scalia's "roadmap" to the Florida Supremes had somehow been subverted.  Sam mentioned Scalia's argument that Florida might count illegal votes.  Steph emphasized the word "might."  Cokie castigated Judge Lewis for not setting a single standard.  Will whined about "where did today's 2:00 deadline come from?"  Sam, Cokie and the gang blabbered about "intent of the voter" -- and George said something about not being able to determine if ballots are under-  or overvotes -- but some are discernable, George!  Cokie touched on different standards in different counties -- but failed to follow through and say the labyrinth of standards is an invitation to corruption.  Steph: why do rich Floridians get Optiscans (more accurate) and poor Floridians get Votematics (gimmickable and a joke)?  Will again whined that Dems "make claims into microphones."

That are more often than not true, George.  And what about Republicans making claims into microphones -- like Little George calling Adam Clymer of the New York Times an "asshole"?

Cokie tried to dis the Democrats that sued over fraudulent absentee ballot applications -- and Steph verbally smacked down the egregious Cokie, pointing out that Gore REFUSED to join these lawsuits.

Is it over, asked Sam?  Probably, said Cokie, qualifying it by saying that we'll find out tomorrow -- and claimed that people want finality over legitimacy.  Like they did in 1930s Germany, Cokie?  Will, like the reactionary he is, talked about Florida "tinkering and improvising."  You mean like Katherine Harris using her "discretion?"  If that's not tinkering, we don't know what is.

Steph pointed out that this is a struggle between states-rights federalism and national issues.  Will lied again, saying that the Florida court "construed" -- made up -- the law.  Steph jumped down his throat, saying again that the court followed the legislature.

Cokie laughed when she said that some Americans may be surprised to find that they do not have the right to vote.  Yeah, Cokie, that's real funny -- but we're not surprised that you, the spoiled offspring of a sleazy political brood, laugh at "average" citizens.  Cokie, you're the Leona Helmsley of pundits -- disenfranchisement is for the "little" people.

Sam practically said that Dems will say of Little George, "He's not my president" -- but then admitted that that's what the GOP has done to Clinton for the last eight years.  Will decried "reactionary liberalism" out for "NO tort reform [read: a free ride for corporate criminals], NO school choice [read: tax giveaways to religious extremist organizations], NO partial privatization of Social Security [read: a fortune for stockbrokers and a huge risk for average citizens]."

Jeez, George -- you're one to talk about reactionaries!

Well, at least we know YOUR agenda...

Off the Radar

Ehud Barak resigned as prime minister of Israel.  That's a pretty huge story -- and were it not for the 24/7 coverage of the Florida mess, would have taken up at least half of the talk on this Sunday's pundit programs.

Now, there are many who would justify this, since the undecided presidential election is a huge issue, but the present situation in the Middle East could well bite the world in the butt -- and deserved at least a little mention.