From Ellen McCarthy's Washington Post piece regarding on-line punditry: [Mullings] is sometimes erratic, as Galen jumps from topic to topic and ties together seemingly unrelated facts. When he gets rolling, Galen can be amusing and insightful, if a little over the top.
Ok. This will be one of those editions which proves Ms. McCarthy's point. By the way, I tried to respond to her via e-mail to tell her that I would be lowering the bar to make getting over the top easier, but the e-mail bounced back.
First up, the Enron parade to Capitol Hill. Four former Enron execs and one from Arthur Andersen each took the Fifth (adding up to one 25th Amendment which, as you know, deals with Presidential and Vice Presidential succession).
Everyone on the planet KNEW they were going to take the Fifth, including the Members of Congress who issued the subpoenas. Nevertheless they were seated and sworn, so the Members could get good election-campaign video of themselves shaking their fingers under the witnesses noses.
It would be nice to have some video tape of many of those very same Committee members when they were shaking the hands of those very same executives - or their representatives - as they were cheerfully taking Enron's money.
The other day Senator Ernest Hollings (D-SC) - who is chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee -
called for the establishment of a special prosecutor to investigate the Bush Administration's connection to E
nron. The Center for Responsive Politics shows that old Fritz has received over $1.2 MILLION in business PAC
donations since since 1997. [Note: On the e-mail version I incorrectly wrote that Hollings had last been elected in 1996. He was, in fact,
last elected in 1998. Mistakes were made. I didn't know anything about any secret partnerships. r.]
While on CNN's "The Point" the other night with former Gore campaign manager, Donna Brazile, footage of Hollings' slightly creepy outburst was shown. I said to Ms. Brazile off camera - "I guarantee that before this Session of Congress is over, Hollings is going to start speaking French in committee meetings."
On Imus yesterday morning, Dan Rather added fuel for another chapter in Bernard Goldberg's book "Bias" when this exchange took place:
Rather, reverting to his Texas roots, said that Ken Lay had lost a lot credibility among the folks back home when he sent his wife out to defend him.
Imus: "Kind of reminds you of the Hillary Clinton thing." [Which only goes to prove that if you shout at your television set loudly enough they CAN hear you].
Rather: "Don't go there."
All: (Laughter.)
Me: "GO THERE. GO THERE!"
I guess the Rather Rules for using the "wife defense" are different in Arkansas than Texas.
A Uruguayan banker, trying to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines flight, was coshed in the head with an ax by the co-pilot as the plane flew from Miami to Buenos Aires, Argentina. U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings immediately demanded a special prosecutor to see if the guy had gone nuts after having lost money in the Enron scandal, thus making the attack the fault of the Bush Administration.
A trip starts today: This is the Great Western Swing which includes Lincoln Day Dinner speeches in Helena, Montana; Juneau, Alaska; Fairbanks, Alaska; and Tucson, Arizona. Please, please don't write to me to tell me that it is cold in Fairbanks. I already know that.
Packing for the trip is very difficult. For example: The low temperature in Fairbanks on Wednesday is forecast to be -21. The low on Thursday is forecast at only -5. Winter clothes on Wednesday. Spring clothes on Thursday. How do you pack for THAT?
A Travelogue begins today. See the link on the Secret Decoder Ring page:
Drat.
Ellen McCarthy was right.
If you are working at a lobbying firm, a government affairs office, a coalition, or a PAC you should take a
look at this page to see how advertising in Mullings might serve your organization very well:
� 
