Mr., ah, Richardson, is it?"
"Secretary Richardson, actually."
"Sec-re-tar-y Richardson. And you would be the Secretary uuuuuuuvv?"
"Energy. I'm the Secretary of Energy."
"Oh, yes. I see that now. And you are applying for the position of Vice President of the United States?"
"That's correct."
"All right, if we can run through your bio here, lickety-split. You were a Congressman from New Mexico?"
"That's correct."
"But you are now a U.S. citizen?"
"That's NEW Mexico. It's already part of the United States."
"Oh, I understand. And you resigned that position?"
"-- to become the Ambassador to the United Nations."
"And the Democrats lost that seat?"
"We got it back ."
"But we did lose � the � seat."
"Well, yes."
"Let's see, here. While you were Ambassador to the United Nations you got yourself in the middle of the Monica Lewinsky thing, but let's let that go for right now."
"I'd like to explain that."
"And I'd LOVE to hear it, but it won't be held against you Mr. - ah - Sec-re-tar-y Richardson. Let's go on to your work at the Department of Energy."
"Good."
"You were in that post, am I correct, when one of your scientists e-mailed all the secrets about our nuclear warhead technology to the Chinese government?"
"Well, that's not quite accurate. The material wasn't e-mailed -"
"More or less, e-mailed?"
"More - as you say - or less."
"Then there's this gasoline price thing? Gas is over two dollars per gallon in important Midwestern states like Illinois?"
"Well, there is always an increase in driving in the summer months and so
gas prices have risen."
"And was it a surprise to the Department of Energy that there would, in fact, be a summer this year?"
"No, of course it wasn't a surprise that there would be a summer but -"
"- Is it a surprise that gas in Illinois has risen almost 80 cents in a year?"
"That is a surprise, yes."
"You ARE the Secretary of Energy."
"Yes."
"All right then. Our time is almost up Sec-re-tar-y Richardson. If we could just touch on this latest little problem at Los Alamos - the two hard drives with the REST of our national secrets which have disappeared?"
"I don't know if disappeared is the right term."
"Walked off? Grew legs? Took a hike? Took a powder? Vanished? Vamoosed? Did a Judge Crater? Bailed? Beat Feet? Blew outta there? Booked? Boogied? Split? Swayzed? Went up
� in
� smoke?
"All right. What else would you like to know?"
"Thank you Mr. Sec-re-tar-y, I think that will be all. We'll be in touch."
Headline from a White House Press office release: "President Clinton Declares a Major Disaster Exists in the State of Tennessee." Further reading indicated the "disaster area" had nothing to do with that house owned by Al Gore.
This is the statement released by the Office of the Vice President: "Today I am pleased that the Administration declared my home state of Tennessee a major disaster area �"
Ok, ok. Here's the rest of the sentence, but still: "� in light of the severe storms, tornadoes and floods that occurred there in late May."
The traveling exhibit of a replica of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Sue, is located at Union Station in Your Nation's Capital. Two things.
(1) It would be good for every U.S. Senator to go over and look at Sue and
see what happens to even the most powerful of beasts; and,
(2) If her name is "Sue" shouldn't she be known as a Tyrannosaurus
Regina? Get me Naomi Wolf (La Loba) on the phone.
A Washington Post/ABC Poll asked people if they thought George W. or Al were a "strong leader." Respondents said Bush was a strong leader by a margin of 65 percent to 30 percent (+35). The respondents only thought Gore was a strong leader, 48-45 (+3). Get me Naomi Wolf on the phone NOW!
One last polling item for the day. The CBS/NY Times poll showed Ms. Rodham Clinton Rodham leading Rick Lazio by only five points: 44-39. Here's the really bad news: 64 percent of those polled said they don't yet have an opinion about Rick Lazio. Nevertheless, 56 percent of those polled will not vote for Ms. Rodham Clinton Rodham.
-- END --
Copyright © 2000 Richard A. Galen
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