Flush twice... it's a long way to Sally Quinn's place!

Pundit Pap for June 29, 2003
Supremos and Sellouts
By Morrie Friendly

June 29, 2003 -- WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (apj.us) -- Most of our Pundit Pap team has decided to take a weekend vacation.

Who can blame them? The weekend weather in New York City and the nation's capitol is great -- for the first time since before Memorial Day.

So this writer taped two of the more prominent programs, the improving This Weak and the pompous Meet the Fat Lout Who Gets His Questions Straight form the White House.... er, Meet the Press, to see if anything was up.

And something was indeed up. Yes, there was talk all over the dials of a momentous week of Supremo rulings and the continuing debacle that is known as "Operation Mission Accomplished in Iraq."

But the biggest headlines came from Tim Russert's first guests and a scathing report on lack of preparedness for another terrorist attack. Naturally, Russert and his guests tried to convince viewers that they weren't out to blame anyone (read: George W. Bush, Tom Ridge, Bill Frist, Denny Hastert, Tom DeLay).

Naturally, the facts speak for themselves -- and indict George W. Bush, Tom Ridge, Bill Frist, Denny Hastert and Tom DeLay for a sellout of those uniformed municipal employees who will have to be first responders when there is another terrorist strike. After all, priorities are priorities -- and the rich have to get their tax cut.

Here's the low-down:

This Week
Not on the road -- and (seemingly) not on message with Karl Rove
Players: George "Steph" Stephanopoulos, Senate Majority Leader Bill "Kitten Kevorkian" Frist (R-TN), former solicitor general Walter Dellinger, moralist high inquisitor Kenny "Javert" Starr

Item one at the top of the show was the pair of Medicare privatization... er, reform bills passed by the House and Senate. Item two was the quagmire in Iraq.

Steph welcomed Sen. Bill Frist -- but instead of moving directly to Medicare, Steph asked Frist if the mess in Iraq is becoming a guerilla war. In a move that couldn't have the usurpers at 1600 Pennsylvania too happy, Frist said the Iraq matter would be a "long war" -- but in an effort to boost George the Lesser and sweep that niggling matter of not one ounce of the alleged five hundred tons of chemical and biological weapons having turned up yet, Frist made sure to throw in requisite asides about "democracy and freedom" (read: oil business and elections so long as they're rigged for "our" people to win) before again saying the war will be "long and difficult."

He said it twice, and that does not bode well for the US forces on the ground in Iraq. Frist was sending a pretty grim message -- that not only will the body count climb, but the boys in the Warbunny Administration will try to spin our presence as "good" nation building requiring "sacrifice."

Steph said Smirk must come forward and talk about the necessary commitment; Frist lied and said he is "talk[ing] to the American people" before saying (again) that we need to "achiev[e] success."

For an interesting insight into how Prince George "talks" to the American people, you need go no further than this outstanding story at AlterNet, "A Nation of Victims" by clinical psychologist Renana Brooks -- one of the best explanations of how Lieutenant AWOL uses language to scare and fool the public.

Steph suggested it was time to "adjust the mission" and "bury the hatchet" with France and other nations -- and Frist essentially agreed.

From: Kal P Date: 6/29/03 Re: Health care & prescription benefits One of my close friends who operates a healthcare company admits that the services provided by HMOs, PPOs and other such organizations are 35-40% more expensive than Medicare and Medicaid. How is competition going to deal with that? If Medicare and Medicaid are so inefficient how is it that they cost so much less per use? Someone needs to ask Congress about this.

Talk then turned to an earlier attempt at Medicare "reform" that got repealed when seniors learned how much it will cost. Will we see a repeat of it? Frist gave the rote answer about a program that hasn't "kept up' with the times" and tried to fool viewers into believing it's just peachy that seniors will now have "access" to prescription drugs in a "voluntary" program -- but Steph said it won't in fact be voluntary in that 37% -- more than one-third -- of seniors are likely to be dropped from their insurance plans. Frist sounded testy as he defended the plan and said that the "marriage" of the House and Senate bills would help stop "inefficiencies" through "public-private" partnership.

We remember how effective a previous "inefficiency" was addressed when there was a privatized air traffic control system: a number of high-fatality plane crashes resulted in the government stepping in in the name of both the public and business interest. Nice try, Bill, but no cigar for you on that point. Moreover, one cannot help but to marvel at Frist's ability to sidestep any detailed specifics of the plan. God knows -- if seniors were actually given the ominous truth about what this insane privatization scam is going to do to their health bills, they'd be up in arms.

All of this, of course, shows how far the press has fallen in this nation.

It was left to Steph to detail how a person with $500 in drug bills ends up paying $807 for their prescriptions under one of Congress' brilliant prescription plans. Frist actually said this is better than no coverage -- which is sort of like saying that a prolonged case of monkeypox is better than cancer -- and 44% of seniors fall in the poverty category.

44% of seniors in this country are poor -- and Frist tosses this dire statistic out as if it justifies an utterly ill-advised scam. Part of the problem is spiraling health and insurance costs -- but since the Texas Dauphin is bought and paid for in part by the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies, you can bet any free money you might have that that 44% statistic isn't going anywhere but up.

Steph said that Ted Kennedy plans to filibuster a version of the bill when it comes back following revision if there is a means-testing clause; Frist said seniors get "lotsa benefits" (guffaw). Frist looked stressed and sounded a little angry and defensive at the grilling he was getting -- even though Steph was nowhere near as tough as he should've been.

Steph said that hard-righters were angry that more competition (read: even more privatization) was not included in the Senate version -- which set Frist back into full spin on "competition" and "efficiency."

Yeah, pal, right -- remember what "competition" and "efficiency" did the the California energy market? There was competition to see how far prices could be driven up -- which was done with efficiency when the energy cartel engineered a phony power "shortage."

There was a long and phony back-and-forth about competition supposedly being the panacea for high prices before Steph pointed out that one GOPer has suggested that the GOP vote for a popular addition to the Medicare bill in public that might lower prices -- and kill it in private. Frist gave a long answer to the effect that seniors ought to have the same coverage as Senators followed by the admission that they won't while lauding it as a worthy goal.

Frist's worry is clear: some in the press are starting to sniff around this entire sham of a "Medicare reform bill" -- and at just a time when there were more than subtle signs that Scurrilous George was going to use it as a campaign point ("See? I kept my promise to reform Medicare!" -- which will mean one thing to the uninformed Jane or Joe, and a whole other thing to HMOs, pharmaceutical businesses, and insurers).

And Steph missed a huge opening to further make Frist's morning uncomfortable. How about the fact that Congress is doing nothing -- not one thing -- about inflated prescription prices in the US as a result of various tactics used by European and Asian countries to keep prices low. Here is a simple way to turn the issue on its head: make it a trade issue -- ask why Republicans are in effect doing nothing about American consumers in effect the difference for artificially low prices among nations with socialized medicine.

Aren't Republicans and conservatives supposed to have a little problem with socialism?

Steph then quizzed Frist on the ruling by the "Supremos" that overturned the medieval and perverse Texas sodomy law. Frist said he "fears" that this would eventually "condone" criminal activity in the home, and that sodomy should be addressed by the state legislatures. (Translation: "Bwaaaaaah! The Supreme Court is trampling states' rights just the way they did with civil rights! Bwaaaah!"). Does he support an amendment to the Constitution that defines marriage as man-woman only? Yes, said Frist -- it's a "sacrament." (Translation: "This is an Evangelical Christian country, and we're gonna do everything we can to make sure that Ayatollah Falwell and Mullah Robertson define marriage!")

Following the break, Steph had two lawyers debate the Texas sodomy and affirmative action rulings: former solicitor general Walter Dellinger and -- grab your barf bag -- Kenneth "Crotch Sniffer Number One" Starr. Starr was his typical, preening, fascist self, decrying in his inimitably prissy manner the Texas sodomy ruling because it gives people too much privacy!

Stick it, Ken, you little dweeb -- we know that you're a sworn enemy of personal privacy when it comes to the sex lives of people you detest.

Dellinger said that the sweep of the opinion affirms respect for individuals, specifically gay Americans, and there is a bigger failure of government: to provide legal stature to nontraditional couples. The Constitution, Dellinger pointed out, was intentionally vague about these standards.

Steph then focused on Scalia's whining dissent (though he didn't make mention of his hilarious can't-get-more-Catholic reference to "masturbation"). Crotch Sniffer Kenny said the court is not as cautious about precedent; Dellinger said Roe v. Wade is in danger as a result of institutional GOP party opposition to the ruling (aw, c'mon, Wally, you should've made reference to those lovely judicial extremists at the Federalist Society who have done so much to help the GOP overturn Roe); with respect to the Texas sodomy ruling, society and companies have a far different attitude toward gay couples than they did 25 years ago, and there are parallels to striking down Jim Crow laws.

Talk turned to the affirmative action ruling. Smutmeister "Malibu" Ken (whose salacious, sick Starr Report is now blocked at public libraries thanks to a Supreme Court ruling upholding the use of anti-pornography filters) gave a jumbled monologue about a "vague" court and castigating Ruth Bader Ginsburg (who we think could probably beat Kenny to a pulp mano-a-mano) for daring to quote a treaty in her statement. Dellinger said that O'Connor's comment that the need for affirmative action would last for another 25 years was, to say the least, optimistic -- and it will be hard for corporations to maintain diversity.

Whren it became clear that the round table -- and George Will's inevitable snippy opining were coming up, we grabbed the remote and switched the channel...

Meet the Press
Russert Indicts Smirk!
Players: MTP host Tim Russert, two honchos from the Council on Foreign Relations' Independent Task Force on Emergency Responders -- Warren Rudman and Dr. Jamie Metzel -- and overexposed "odd couple" James Carville and Mary "Madwoman" Matalin

Tim Russert knew he had the headline-making interview of the week, so right from the top of MTP he ratcheted up the ersatz hand-wringing gravitas and inimitable characteristic bluntness as he plugged an ominous report from the Independent Task Force on Emergency Responders which will be made public tomorrow: "Emergency Responders: Drastically Underfunded, Dangerously Unprepared." The paper savages Junior and his circle of jerks for doing practically nothing about financing equipment and training in order that America's first responders -- firefighters, police officers and EMS workers -- be prepared for what they see as another terrorists strike.

Warren Rudman said it straight: local first responders are not ready to deal with a WMD or large-scale catastrophic attack -- they are undertrained and underfunded.

Russert went over too many ominous points in the the report to enumerate. Dr. Metzel detailed some of the feedback he got from firefighters -- but claimed he is "not taking any potshots at anyone" on either side of the aisle.

And it was clear that Tim, Rudman and Metzel would emphasize that they were not trying to "blame" a person or people -- when in fact the contents of the report make it clear that almost nothing has been done to roll out the gear and training to take on another mass casualty attack by a terrorist group. Obviously, the phrase "The buck stops here" is not in a certain former Texas governor's vocabulary.

Rudman said the nation must take immediate steps or the next terrorist incident will be more devastating than that of 9/11/01. Tim said Rudman assumes there will be another attack; Rudman said he and Gary Hart agree on that point, and the nation's first responders are not prepared for a chemical, biological, or, "God forbid", a nuclear attack.

Is Al Qaeda still viable? Metzel said that removing the hierarchy does not remove autonomous cells -- it "will not be possible to eliminate them entirely."

Tim brought up the failure to fund first responders -- a project that could cost nearly a hundred BILLION dollars over the next five years. States can't afford it -- will money be forthcoming from Washington? Rudman said it would have to -- it is very hard to assess what states spend on homeland security, and Ridge's DHS people wrongly think the CFR are overstating the case.

Unfortunately, Rudman suggested that DHS undertake the study -- but then Rudman spoke the money quote of the interview: "We are dealing with the possibility of tens of thousands of casualties. And we must deal with it. This is not a question of 'Can we?' -- it's a question of 'We must!'"

Tim then quoted a DHS report claiming that Rudman's position on underfunding is "grossly overstated." Rudman said he hopes they're right, but they will find that local first responders are underfunded. Metzel feels there should be national standards and a system for developing standards for preparedness. Rudman blasted DHS for dragging their feel on these studies. Tim said CFR wants "gold-plated elephants" -- and Rudman shot the notion down, saying that it would be nice if fire departments had radios that worked, and it's "too bad" that the DHS spokesman is "so defensive."

Tim said to Rudman that his GOP believes in tax cuts -- and Rudman cut in, saying he personally DOESN'T! Rudman said that it's time for people to stop being defensive -- this is a case of preventing Americans from unspeakable horror, and it must be a higher priority than it is.

What did local police and fire officials say they need? Metzel said the police chief of one Midwestern city said his department does not have protective suits for responding to WMD sites; labs are not equipped to analyze chemical or biological agents; training is woefully lacking. Rudman said that working radios might have prevented the enormous loss of life in New York on 9/11/01, particularly among firefighters.

After the break, Russert actually ran part of the DNC's hilarious "Bushenstein" animation from their Web site -- Dr. Bushenstein builds his ideal justice out of parts of Scalia, Thomas, Priscilla Owen and Charles Pickering. Mary Matalin whined about an attack on a "president [sic] people love" (just so long as those people are uninformed idiots or unreconstructed reactionaries). Tim quoted Ted Kennedy's demand that El Stupido consult Democrats on any Supreme Court nominee: "If this President wants a battle, he'll get it!" James Carville pointed out that Smirk did not get a majority of the popular vote, and the opposition party should offer contrast. Carville also pointed out that Kennedy and the Bush boy worked together on education initiatives. Tim: "Don't [Dems] want a veto?" Carville said that Dems will fight if Smirk does not nominate a mainstream candidate (he should have said that Dems deserve a veto in the interest of the nation). Tim then quoted Kerry's promise to filibuster any candidate who will not uphold Roe v. Wade. Carville said Kerry has every right to say that.

Tim then actually quoted an editorial in the fact-challenged Moonie Times backing any anti-choice zealot. Mary said, "This president [sic] does what he thinks is right" (translation: this pretend-a-dent does exactly what the poll numbers and Karl Rove tell him). Matalin went on to acknowledge that the fight over the Supremos is about politics -- then lied about abortion rights not being a "kitchen table issue" in the 2004 elections.

Watch out, Mary -- it will be, whether you and your anti-choice thug pals like it or not.

Betraying his bias, Tim dolefully said that a fight over abortion rights would hurt "the president [sic]." Mary muttered something. Tim reminded Mary that Junior said Scalia and Thomas are his favorite justices. Mary ranted about the Texas sodomy law being "unenforceable."

Ha, ha, ha -- that's exactly what got it overturned, Mary! A couple of cops ENFORCED it! And now it's gone, to the horrified chagrin of the worst virtues hypocrites in the nation. One cannot help but laugh.

Tim then played a video clip of Howard Dean blasting Smirk's "arrogance" on foreign policy. Carville blasted Smirk's stands -- on Kyoto, on arms treaties -- and reminded viewers that the Toxic Texan does not work well with our friends, including Canada. Smirk's foreign policy has not enhanced America's stature (he should have added, "... whereas Bill Clinton gave us eight years of peace, prosperity and increased admiration and respect among the international community"). Mary replied with the hilarious claim that it has enhanced our security.

Yeah, right, Mary. Tell that to the families of our kids being murdered in Iraq. Tell that to the employees of overseas embassies that have to be shut down whenever the intelligence "chatter" is on the uptick. And tell it to Warren Rudman -- he'll laugh in your wrinkled face.

Mary revised her statement, saying that Smirk "erred on the side of security" -- and Carville tweaked his insane wife about there being no tie between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. Mary claimed that we are the biggest humanitarian power in the world, and Smirk supports human rights (really? after appointing John "Banana Republic" Negroponte as UN Ambassador? will SOMEONE cue the laugh track?) -- and a different threat requires different relations and a different institutional structure.

Can "we" sustain the Iraq mess with one American getting murdered per day? Mary said that "nobody feels this pain greater than the president [sic]" (uh-huh -- when he's not busy raising millions to push for reelection -- make that election -- oh, he's in such pain). The alternative, she said, is to let the Ba'athists return -- and she predicted that "more" WMDs will turn up.

More? NOTHING has turned up, you dissembling twit.

Can Carville see Democrats calling for Americans to come home from Iraq? Carville said the real issue was Smirk's failure to plan the Iraq takeover. Jay Garner lasted three weeks. WMDs are either "exaggeration or fabrication" and the misadministration was completely unprepared to take over running Iraq. The money pit that is Iraq, concluded Carville, will be be a real issue.

Tim actually acknowledged that the failure to find WMDs is an issue -- and now conservative columnists are even saying that it is a serious problem for Smirk. George Will said a long-term failure to find substantial WMDs would "unravel" his team's rhetoric. Robert George said it is in Smirk's interest to be accountable. Matalin called it a "security issue" (right -- Smirk's job security) and postulated that Saddam "sent" his WMDs "away." (Funny how all the people who claim that Saddam gave the WMDs away don't seem to be able to put their finger on who got them.) She claimed that scientists are afraid to talk until Saddam is gone.

But that's not true -- an Iraqi scientist uncovered decade-old sample parts for a gas centrifuge earlier this week. Carville mentioned the scientist -- and said it reminded him of a redneck who had old car parts in his backyard! Carville said we have to give our forces time to find whatever WMD evidence there may be. But there has to be accountability for sending thousands of kids into 110-degree heat unprepared and untrained for the mess they now face. Mary said the plans found in that backyard were needed to reconstitute a nuke program (of course, she forgot to mention that these plans are readily available elsewhere, and that hundreds if not thousands of gas centrifuges are needed to enrich uranium).

From: Nancy K Date: 6/29/03 Re: Meet the Press I watched the Carville/Matalin portion and not only did Carville say that Bush wasn't elected by the people, Carville also said that Bush didn't get the most votes in Florida either. Russert also never challenged Carville on these points which I find most interesting since Russert has been such a Bush lap dog,. I don't understand why this was left out of your pundit pap.

Tim then got all hysterical about a Republican fundraising letter raising the specter of Hillary Clinton becoming Senate Majority Leader -- Republicans even admit she would be a "nightmare." Carville said it would be a nightmare for the GOP -- and Hillary would be a great majority leader. Mary said that Majority Leader Clinton would unite GOPers against her and the Democrats. Carville wants Hillary to run in 2008 if the circumstances are right. Mary tried to make believe that Hillary has no ideas and is nothing but negative. Carville had a great, classic comeback: Smirk's arrogance and deficits are not ideas. Mary whined about negativeness. Carville: they're YOUR arrogance and YOUR deficits!

Tim held up tomorrow's TIME magazine cover, quoting the title in his most ominous moralist tone: "Is Gay Marriage Next?" Mary had to admit that many libertarian-leaning Republicans don't oppose gay marriages -- but who will lead the charge on the Democrat side? Carville said he thinks the country is more interested in economic and foreign policy. What is the top issue? Accountability, said Carville -- and Smirk being bought and paid for. Mary: it's security. Carville got in the last word, tying it neatly to Tim's first guests: the present misadministration underfund it!

Amazing! Tim let Carville have the last word.

-- Morrie Friendly

Morrie Friendly gave up a career as a political consultant to become a management consultant and pseudonymous travel guide author. He retains close ties to top players in both the Democratic and Republican parties and lives with his dog in Georgetown.