A Tale Of Two Women

"Meet The Press"—August 8, 2004

On The Left: The Cobra

On the Right: Condi

This AM, I watched "Meet The Press" with Tim Russert. I was disappointed with Russert today. He started off with Condoleeza Rice, followed with Dennis Hastert, and concluded with a dual interview of William Safire and Maureen Dowd of the NY fishwrap of record. In all three segments, Russert was soft on the guests. Condi was spouting nonsense about this president and this president as if W was Superman. Her spin on W's behavior on 9/11 when he sat and sat and sat in that elementary school classroom was that W was projecting a demeanor of calm, resolute leadership. My take on both the video that Michael Moore used in Fahrenheit 9/11 and the still photos shot by White House photographers was W thinking: What the hell am I gonna do? The Dickster and Rummy are in DC. I'm in deep doo-doo and I don't have idea-one. He looked lost and scared and clueless. Anyway, Russert gave Condi pass after pass after pass. The worst? Condi dismissed the 9/11 Report and Richard Clarke for telling us that W received a briefing shortly before 9/11 that carried the headline: bin Laden Determined To Attack The United States and that W took no action because the information was historical, i.e., old news. Then, today, when Russert asked about the use of old reports by the Department of Homeland Security to seize headlines after the Democrat National Convention ended: "Terrorist Attack Imminent!" Condi babbled about al Qaeda's preparation for its 9/11 attack on the United States. In other words, old news was valuable now, but it was worthless just prior to 9/11. Condi reminded me of a fertilzer salesperson with a mouthful of samples (male bovine excrement). Russert ought to be ashamed of himself. Big Russ would tell him that, too. At least Russert allowed Mareen (The Cobra) Dowd to speak without interruption about her new book: Bushworld. The Cobra nails W at every turn. William Safire (also interviewed in this segment) is erudite, but he is a political hack. A speechwriter for the Trickster has sold his soul to the devil. Safire didn't mess with The Cobra, though; they office on the same corridor with Tom Friedman. Safire referred to that area of the fishwrap HQ as "Murderer's Row." What a stark contrast between Condi and The Cobra. Give me The Cobra every time. I would have loved to see The Cobra interview Condi on "Meet The Press." Like Muhammed Ali, I pity the fool. If this is a (fair & balanced) mixture of disdain and admiration, so be it.