Weekend Talk Show *Preview* for 5/12 - 5/13/07 (not the live thread)

Network and Cable News Networks | May 12, 2007 | Network and Cable News

[Phsstpok]

Preview and Analysis for Weekend of May 12^th and 13^th, 2007

Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows:

NBC's "Meet the Press" Sen. John McCain CBS's "Face the Nation" Sen. Chuck Hagel Fox News Sunday Rudy Giuliani

CNN "Late Edition" Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih Sen. Barbara Boxer Sen. Lindsey Graham Former Sen. Max Cleland ABC's "This Week" Barack Obama

With the exception of CNN LE this is the weekend of the "meet the candidates because you've never heard of these guys before" Sunday shows.  And, of course, they don't have any of the candidates on that no one really knows.  A thousand years from now, if anyone still cares about American politics, this presidential campaign will be known as the "phony election."  Everything is being run according to George Soros' script and so far no one is willing to state the obvious inside the old dinosaur media.  These clowns are whistling past the graveyard, they're screaming and shouting as loud as they can so that we won't notice that there's a big mass grave over there and they're herding us in that direction as quickly as they can.

NBC's Meet the Press introduces us to the totally unkown Senator from Arizona, John McCain.  Oh, you've heard of him before?  Well, that was the old John McCain, useful Bush Basher.  This is the new John McCain, Iraq war hawk and therefore he is a bashee, not a basher.  You have to keep up with the latest narrative.  You got the fax, didn't you?  Well, if you're not on the list just go to Truth central, or the wholly owned Truth subsidiary site and you can sign up.  While you're there don't forget to tithe pay tribute pay the danegeld make a tax deductible donation.

CBS Face The Nation offers up the new maverick hero of the DBM, Saint Senator Chuck Hagel, of Nebraska of all places.  I don't think they honestly believe that he has a snowball's chance of taking the GOP nomination, but I think they believe that if they can feed his ego enough he might just try a third party bid and pull a Ross Perot on whoever the GOP nominee eventually is.  I think Dean Barnett has it right on this scenario (Run, Chuck, Run!!! on Hugh Hewitt's site at Townhall) and it won't quite work out that way.  But, hey, the left is playing any card they can think of.  This is for all the marbles, folks.

Fox News Sunday brings us the wounded but still formidable Rudy Giuliani, "hero of 9/11."  The right and left have been ganging up on him for a couple of weeks now and a consensus has formed that "he's doomed, doomed I tell you!"  The Lew Rockwell / Perotista / Buchananite types, who are so far right they're now on the extreme left, seem to be the most incensed about his candidacy.  But do they have as much clout with the Republican electorate as the moonbat left has in the Dhimmicrat primaries?  They certainly are getting enough of their criticism of Rudy aired by the DBM, as if it were the only conservative point of view on the matter.  That instruction was in the fax to the DBM.

CNN Late Edition breaks the mold without one identified presidential candidate... unless there's something about Mitch McConnell they haven't sent out a fax on yet?  Anyway, McConnell, Graham, Boxer and Cleland have at each other over who has blood on whose hands and who is lying to the American people.  With Mitch present I have hopes that the good Lindsey Graham will show up.  I will say I think this whole thing is a set up, however.  Based on the number of "Max Cleland is a war hero/saint so don't you dare even question what he says or you are a fiend and a traitor" stories in the DBM I think they're setting the stage for a brand new professional victim's tour bashing any and all Republicans, particularly those who won't endorse surrender to Al Qaeda.

ABC This Week rounds out the main Sunday shows and returns to the "one show / one candidate" theme.  As little Georgie Steponallofus has turned his show into a PR arm of the Hillary campaign it will be interesting to watch this dance.  I think they want to put Barack (the LA Times' "magic negro") fimly into his place on the Dhimmicrat plantation, subservient to his rightful white Democrat masters, particularly the Dowager Empress.  At the same time I think they see him as a useful prop as vice president and chief blame taker for a Hillary administration.  They have to belittle him without damaging him.  A delicate balance.  Do you suppose they'll ask about his slight misstatement of the death toll from the Kansas tornado (just 9,988 off, 10,000 instead of 12... no biggee) as part of a political propaganda attack on Bush?  If they do I bet you they won't phrase in quite that way.

The Saturday shows follow their usual patter, three meaningless half hours in easily accessible time slots and one major half hour at a time Dracula might find convenient.  The Beltway Boys sticks directly to this weeks DNC press releases, with stories on Rudy's abortion problems, the DNC spin on Romney vs. Sharpton and the lack of patience, particularly among GOP "moderates," with the situation in Iraq.  All spin, all the time.  They've guaranteed their cocktail party invitations for another few months by towing the line.  CNBC's Tim Russet Show allows lil Timmah a second go around with Saint George Tenet, slayer of Bush.  After a relatively hostile appearance on MTP last week Tenet was savaged by both the left and the right.  The folks at Democrat Underground and Daily Kos  laid out the roadmap for Tenet's redemption and salvation.  Now Timmah is giving him the opportunity to get it right.  If he fails it's a minor enough show that no one will notice and the MTP appearance will stand.  If he adopts the Soros script every word will be viewed as holy writ and will dominate a redemptive news cycle.  I think it depends on what his publisher told him this week about his book sales.  It certainly won't be based on reality, integrity or honor, not with this clown.  Fox News Watch is in their usual DBM CYA mode.  I'd love to see Brit join the panel one week and smack down Neal and Jane, just once!  The Journal Editorial Report provides their usual litany of actual issues that matter that no one else in the media is actually treating seriously (it's too long, but that would be a great advertising slogan for them).  I can't wait till they start podcasting this show and abandon broadcast and cable altogether.

I bet that if we went back to 1964 and told David Brinkley that all of the network talk shows would devote their entire programs on this Sunday in 2007, all of 540 days before the election, to interviews with "leading" presidential candidates, one per show, that he'd have us arrested as lunatics. 

The phony election rolls on, strictly adhering to George Soros' script.  I wonder if he'll call this his blue revolution?  Watch the T-shirt makers for large orders of "this is a blue country" shirts with slogans straight out of Madison Avenue focus groups.  And the Moby Mobs continue to stir up trouble on the net, planting stories and spinning discussions about Republicans, primarily following the exact Moby tactic of painting each Republican candidate as not "one of us real conservatives" over one issue or another.  And there are enough true believers and passionate conservatives on each issue who run with whatever theme is being pushed by the Mobybots to build it into a truly disqualifying attribute of that candidate, regardless of any other issues.  It gains a life of it's own with legitimacy, but no real value to the problems that really face us, namely survival.

Single issue politics is being used against us as both a boost for our enemies (all Iraq doom, all the time) and as a weapon against us.  The drive by media has their talking points emphasizing what supposedly unifies the Dhimmicrats as well as what potentially divides.  So far the sheeple are blinding marching along to their tune.  This election is about Iraq and the survival of western civilization, but all we're talking about on our side is abortion or someone's church or their stand on regulating Mexican truck drivers!  Will the conservative movement survive?  Frankly, I don't know.  This election will go a long way towards telling us whether it will or whether we will be looking into the abyss of our civilization's demise.

Or this Sunday could be the usual non-event.  Whatever.  Have at it and hope to see you on Sunday.  I have the honors this week, but I'm traveling starting on Wednesday.  One way or the other the awards for the Sunday show will either be posted by Tuesday night or they probably won't be posted till the following Tuesday.  Hey, it's a free trip to Hawaii.  You turn it down! <g>

This should be cross posted to my blog at Wizards.townhall.com later today. I have finally caught up over their and I hope to keep up to date from now on. In fact I'm going to change the format just a bit when posting this in light of the success of the technique I used to get caught up. This analysis will still be first but then I'm going to try putting all of the show by show posts into one big Post number 1. If I end up falling back to separate posts you'll know that I found an upper limit to the length of FR posts.

This thread exists primarily as a heads up for who is on the weekend talks shows, what they've been invited on to push (based on their recent pronouncements) and the spin (meme) the DBM is likely trying to push based on that information. All of this is prep work for the weekly Sunday Morning Talk Show thread posted by Alas Babylon!. That thread provides a live commentary and analysis of the Sunday talking head shows, with valuable insight and exceptional fact checking. we are the Jedi Council of FreeRepublic, at least in regards to these DBM gabfests. You wanna know what was said and what it meant, as well as where they messed up? Read that thread!

Mark Kilmer has posted his excellent preview of the Sunday shows over at Redstate.COM.

Politico.COM has their Sunday Talk Show Tip Sheet

[Phsstpok]

Saturday Shows for May 12^th, 2007

Below are the topics and guests announced for these programs, along with my take on the "memes" that the shows are trying to push.  With each guest's name are a series of links that I found in a web search that helped me get a handle on who they are and what their likely positions will be when they are interviewed.

The Beltway Boys (Mort Kondrake, Fred Barnes)

• Meme:
  • Meet the new media, same as the old media - we don't report the news, we manufacture it and force feed it to you
  • Howard Dean faxed a press release to the folks at the cocktail party and that goes straight into the teleprompter for the pundits - works every time.
  • Did you hear?  Rudy's pro-choice?  I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!
  • Oh, boy.  Mitt's really screwed up now!  He's actually talking about God!  And arguing with Reverand Al, to boot.  He's doooooomed!
• Topics:
  • Rudy Giuliani hopes the GOP will embrace a pro-choice candidate
  • Smackdown between Mitt Romney and Al Sharpton; we'll tell you why
  • Patience with Iraq runs thin in Washington
• Beltway Boys contact information beltway@foxnews.com
• The program airs on FOX News Channel Saturdays at 6 and 11:30 p.m. ET

CNBC's Tim Russert Show (Tim Russert)

• Meme:
  • The greatest intelligence asset America's enemies have ever had has written a book
  • George Tenet, the gift that keeps on giving... for our enemies
  • Meet the new media, same as the old media - we don't report the news, we manufacture it and force feed it to you
  • Howard Dean faxed us a press release and that goes straight into the teleprompter for the news readers - works every time.
  • Did you know that George Tenet was the greatest whistleblower of all time?  Well he is, and everything he wrote is true.  So there!
• Topics:
  • WMD, Iraq, Iran and more with the former director of the CIA as he pimps his new book
• Guests
  • George Tenet
    • Former director of Central Intelligence | brief CIA bio
    • Author of At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA
    • Pot, Meet Kettle: Judith Miller Hits George Tenet's Book (Editor & Publisher - May 11, 2007)
    • George Tenet should be tried for war crimes (The Daily Advertiser, LA - May 11, 2007)
    • Tenet should explain why he helped dismantle CIA assets (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - May 11, 2007)
    • How the CIA failed America (Salt Lake Tribune, UT - May 12, 2007)
    • We’ve only made a down payment on the price of Tenet’s failure (American Thinker - May 11, 2007)
    • A basic tenet of public life, part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (Power Line blog - Apr 29 through May 11, 2007)
• CNBC's Tim Russert Show airs Saturday at 7pm, 10pm & 1am ET

Fox News Watch (Eric Burns)

• Meme:
  • Meet the new media, same as the old media - we don't report the news, we manufacture it and force feed it to you
  • Howard Dean faxed us a press release and that goes straight into the teleprompter for the news readers - works every time.
  • Pay no attention to the scandals, bigotry, bias and complete incopetence in the old media.  They're not in the fax, they  didn't happen.
• Topics:
  • Ft. Dix Terror Plot Foiled: Are the media missing other possible terror threats?
  • Rev. Al vs. Mitt Romney over GOD and religion!
  • A disaster in Kansas leads to a media fight over Iraq
• The program airs on FOX News Channel Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. ET and Sundays at 2:30 a.m. ET
• Fox News Watch contact information Newswatch@foxnews.com

Journal Editorial Report (Paul Gigot) - FNC show page

• Meme:
  • A convicted currency swindler (and current head of the world wide anti American left) is out to get the head of the World Bank.
  • The media and their masters in the Dhimmicrat party are on the side of the convicted crook... surprise, surprise.
  • Did you know that there is a huge shift of public opinion and political clout in favor of the US and George Bush?  I didn't think so... it's not in the fax.
• Topics:
  • Opinion Journal web page: Bank Job
    • Who's behind the attempt to oust Paul Wolfowitz at the World Bank?
    • What Europe's new leaders mean for U.S. foreign policy
    • How Internet activists are changing the Democratic Party.
  • Fox News Channel web page
    • Dem's Dilemma: Why the 'Netroots' may pull the plug on their support for the party
    • George Soros, Paul Wolfowitz and the World Bank
    • What Europe's new leaders mean for America
• Guests
  • 
    
• Journal Editorial Report (at Fox News) contact information - jer@foxnews.com
• The program is from The Wall Street Journal and airs on FNC Saturday at 11 p.m. and again Sunday at 6 a.m. ET

---

NBC Meet The Press (Tim Russert)

Below are the topics and guests announced for this program, along with my take on the "memes" that the show is trying to push.  With each guest's name are a series of links that I found in a web search that helped me get a handle on who they are and what their likely positions will be when they are interviewed.

• Meme:
  • We're sure you've never heard of this John McCain guy, so we're going to introduce you
  • McCain hates Bush (sometimes)!  Are you ready for your close up, Senator McCain ?
  • Meet the new media, same as the old media - we don't report the news, we manufacture it and force feed it to you
  • Howard Dean faxed us a press release and that goes straight into the teleprompter for the news readers - works every time.
  • Did you know that McCain's campaign was crumbling around him?  Well it is.  We say so.
  • Brought to you by the Dhimmicratic National Committee
• Topics:
  • The 2008 ‘Meet the Candidate’ series continues: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for the full hour to discuss his 2008 presidential bid.
• Guests
  • Sen. John McCain Republican - Arizona
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • 2008 presidential candidate | Campaign web site | Bio
    • McCain Says Bush's Numbers Hurt GOP (ABC News - May 10, 2007)
    • DNC: McCain’s Crumbling Campaign Comes to Michigan (All American Patriots (press release), Sweden - May 9, 2007)
    • McCain fires state manager (NH Primary, NH - May 12, 2007)
    • McCain says any bill that limits war funding should be rejected (KVOA.com, AZ - May 11, 2007)
    • McCain Blasts Iraqi Leaders' Vacation Plans (NewsMax.com, FL - May 9, 2007)
    • Sen. John McCain: 'We Need to Go Back to Nuclear Power' (NewsMax.com, FL - May 10, 2007)
    • Tom Ridge is supporting John McCain (York Dispatch, PA - May 10, 2007)
    • Ridge Won't Rule Out Being McCain's Running Mate (KPHO Phoenix - May 10, 2007)
    • McCain does 'straight talk' (Portsmouth Herald News, NH - May 12, 2007)
    • CBS Has Allowed McCain Campaign Aide To Advocate For McCain On Air (Think Progress, DC - May 12, 2007)
    • Poll: Hillary Leads Obama, Giuliani and McCain (NewsMax.com, FL - May 9, 2007)
• What would you like to ask this week's guests? (web page for submitting questions for this weeks show)
• Meet the Press mailbox (web page for comments)

---

CBS Face The Nation (Bob Schieffer)

Below are the topics and guests announced for this program, along with my take on the "memes" that the show is trying to push.  With each guest's name are a series of links that I found in a web search that helped me get a handle on who they are and what their likely positions will be when they are interviewed.

• Meme:
  • We're sure you've never heard of this Chuck Hagel guy, so we're going to introduce you
  • Hagel hates Bush!  Are you ready for your close up, Senator Hagel?
  • Meet the new media, same as the old media - we don't report the news, we manufacture it and force feed it to you
  • Howard Dean faxed us a press release and that goes straight into the teleprompter for the news readers - works every time.
  • Did you know that Chuck Hagel's the new GOP front runner and straight talk expresser?  Well it is.  We say so.
  • Brought to you by the Dhimmicratic National Committee
• Topics:
  • War And Politics
• Guests
  • Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican Delusional RINO- Nebraska
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Foreign Relations Committee
    • Meet Chuck Hagel, the 2008 GOP presidential nominee (BTC News - May 7, 2007)
    • Hagel: Global warming threatens national security (Grand Island Independent, NE - May 10, 2007)
    • Paging Chuck Hagel (phillyBurbs.com, PA - May 4, 2007)
    • Editorial: Listen to Chuck Hagel (The Capital Times, WI - May 3, 2007)
    • Run, Chuck, Run!!! (Town Hall, DC - May 7, 2007)
    • Chuck Hagel on Iraq (National Ledger, AZ - Apr 30, 2007)
    • Trendspotting '08: Iraq referendums in GOP Congressional Primaries (MSNBC - May 11, 2007)
    • Feeding The Mouth That Bites You (Post Chronicle - May 9, 2007)
  • Jeanne Cummings
    • Politico.com
    • Why The NRA Gets Its Way (CBS News, NY - Apr 18, 2007)
    • Guns V. Abortion (National Journal, DC - Apr 18, 2007)
    • Obama's outstretched hands (Washington Times, DC - Apr 28, 2007)
    • Around The Web (News-Leader.com, MO - May 3, 2007)
  • Michel McQueen Martin
    • Host National Public Radio "Tell Me More"
    • NPR seeks ‘More’ diversity (The State, SC - May 1, 2007)
    • Can I Just Tell You?: Welcome to Tell Me More (NPR Tell Me More - Apr 30, 2007) Note: link to streaming audio on page
    • Millions Worth of Katrina Aid Forfeited by US (NPR Tell Me More - Apr 30, 2007) Note: link to streaming audio on page
• Face The Nation contact information - ftn@cbsnews.com

---

Fox News Sunday (Chris Wallace)

Below are the topics and guests announced for this program, along with my take on the "memes" that the show is trying to push.  With each guest's name are a series of links that I found in a web search that helped me get a handle on who they are and what their likely positions will be when they are interviewed.

• Meme:
  • We're sure you've never heard of this Rudy Giuliani guy, so we're going to introduce you
  • Meet the new media, same as the old media - we don't report the news, we manufacture it and force feed it to you
  • Howard Dean faxed them a press release and that goes straight into their teleprompter and we just copy it for our news readers - works every time
  • Did you know that Rudy's campaign was crumbling around him?  Well it is.  We say so.
  • Brought to you by the Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation (screw ideology, it's all about the Benjamins, baby)

• Topics:
  • 'Choosing the President' series: Rudy Giuliani
    • In his first Sunday show interview since entering the race for the White House, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani sits down to answer the tough questions about his agenda for the country
    • The GOP frontrunner is currently taking a lot of heat from conservative critics over his stance on abortion.
      • While the former mayor says he is pro-choice, he also supports limits on abortions, would be “ok” if Roe v. Wade is overturned, and is vowing to appoint “strict constructionist” judges.
      • However, pro-life advocates in the Republican party are worried about Giuliani’s stance.
      • Will voters overlook his more progressive views on social issues like abortion, gun control, and gay rights and make him the nominee?
    • Dubbed by some as “America’s Mayor” for his leadership in New York city following 9/11 terrorist attacks, we will discuss the issue at the heart of his campaign — the war on terrorism
      • How would a potential "President" Giuliani fight the war on terror, and what is his plan for success in Iraq?
      • Will he continue the policies of President Bush, or will he take the nation on a different path?
      • What is his foreign policy agenda?
      • What is his vision for the economy, health care and education at home?
  • Fox News Sunday panel
    • The latest from the 2008 campaign trail
    • A preview of FOX's first Republican Presidential Debate in the South, set for Tuesday, May 15th.
  • Fox News essay: Coming up on Fox News Sunday
• Guests
  • Rudy Giuliani, Republican - New York
    • 2008 presidential candidate | Campaign web site | Bio
    • Abortion issue puts Giuliani on defensive (San Francisco Chronicle - May 12, 2007)
    • Rudy Giuliani Openly Talks Abortion, Women’s Rights (Bayou Buzz, LA - May 12, 2007)
    • 5/10: Truth In Advertising (National Journal, DC - May 11, 2007)
    • DNC: Has Rudy Giuliani Finally Made Up His Mind? (All American Patriots (press release), Sweden - May 11, 2007)
    • 'We're not rich enough for Giuliani' (DesMoinesRegister.com, IA - May 12, 2007)
    • Fort Dix Terror Plot will Lift Rudy Giuliani's Approval Rating (FOX News - May 10, 2007)
    • Touting Giuliani, Morris claimed Fort Dix plot a "narrow escape" (Media Matters for America, DC - May 11, 2007)
    • DNC: Giuliani Misleads Voters on His Mayoral Record Again (All American Patriots (press release), Sweden - May 11, 2007)
    • GUILTY OXY COULD CAUSE RUDY PAIN (New York Post - May 11, 2007)
    • The Criminal Career of Rudy Giuliani (Lew Rockwell, CA - May 10, 2007)
    • Giuliani Fading? (Sound Politics, WA - May 10, 2007)
  • Fox News Sunday panel
    • Brit Hume of FOX News
      • Fox's Brit Hume Downplays the Trouble Paul Wolfowitz is In (News Hounds, CA - May 8, 2007)
      • The Next Debate (Town Hall, DC - May 9, 2007)
      • John Edwards Worked for a Company That Some Say Engages in Predatory Lending (FOX News - May 11, 2007)
    • Bill Kristol of the Weekly Standard
      • Kristol and Kuttner Square Off (Intellectual Conservative, AZ - May 8, 2007)
      • Nothing to Fear but Polls Themselves? (The Weekly Standard - May 11, 2007)
    • Juan Williams of National Public Radio
      • Week in Politics: Giuliani's Stance on Abortion (NPR Day to Day - May 11, 2007) Note: link to streaming audio on page
      • Bush Gets Earful on War from GOP House Members (NPR Morning Edition, May 10, 2007) Note: link to streaming audio on page
    • Mara Liasson of National Public Radio
      • GOP Voters Look to Giuliani to Firm Abortion Stance (NPR All Things Considered, May 10, 2007) Note: link to streaming audio on page
      • Poll: Voters Down on GOP, Impatient with Congress (NPR Morning Edition, May 8, 2007) Note: article plus link to streaming audio on page
• Fox News Sunday contact information - FNS@foxnews.com

---

CNN Late Edition (Wolf Blitzer)

Below are the topics and guests announced for this program, along with my take on the "memes" that the show is trying to push.  With each guest's name are a series of links that I found in a web search that helped me get a handle on who they are and what their likely positions will be when they are interviewed.

• Meme:
  • Meet the new media, same as the old media - we don't report the news, we manufacture it and force feed it to you
  • Howard Dean faxed us a press release and that goes straight into the teleprompter for the news readers - works every time.
  • Did you know that the Iraq war is lost and that it's all Bush's fault?  Well it is.  We say so.
  • Shhhhhhh.  Don't tell anybody.  A dozen senators are meeting privately this weekend to decide the fate of the country's borders.
  • Brought to you by the Dhimmicratic National Committee
• Topics:
  • Now that benchmarks are on the table, will Iraq be able to live up to its promises?
  • Drew Barrymore on her new job with the UN.
• Guests
  • Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican - Kentucky
    • Senate Minority Leader
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Mitch McConnell on What's Next for the War Supplemental (Human Events, DC - May 3, 2007)
    • GOP Leader Losing Patience With Iraqi Government (Washington Post, DC - May 9, 2007)
    • End to GOP patience? (Louisville Courier-Journal, KY - May 12, 2007)
    • Mitch McConnell and Surrender (TPMCafe, NY - Apr 29, 2007)
    • Unrelated Partisan Spat Stalls Senate Action on Water Resources Bill (Congressional Quarterly, DC - May 10, 2007)
    • Reid Extends Negotiations on Immigration (ABC News - May 11, 2007)
    • Revenge for Daschle? Top Senate Republican and Bush Loyalist Mitch McConnell Braces for Tough '08 Reelection Battle (BuzzFlash, IL - Apr 23, 2007)
    • Vets speak out (Louisville Courier-Journal, KY - May 11, 2007)
    • McConnell will be formidable (Louisville Courier-Journal, KY - May 8, 2007)
    • McConnell to headline dinner, reception for Hagel (Sioux City Journal, IA - Apr 30, 2007)
    • Feeding The Mouth That Bites You (Post Chronicle - May 9, 2007)
    • Dining with the Queen (Cincinnati Post, OH - May 11, 2007)
  • Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat - California
    • Senate Foreign Relations Committee
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Senator Boxer: Commerce Committee Passes Boxer Federal Auto Fleet Efficiency Bill (All American Patriots (press release), Sweden - May 9, 2007)
    • Boxer Statement on Newest US-CAP Members (YubaNet, CA - May 9, 2007)
    • Boxer Pushes Failed EU Cap-and-Trade Scheme (The Heartland Institute, IL - May 11, 2007)
    • Cap and Trade Policies Could Hit Poor Hardest, Studies Show (CNSNews.com, VA - May 11, 2007)
    • Administration Takes Aim at Senate Water Projects Bill (Congressional Quarterly, DC - May 11, 2007)
    • Feds Footing The Bill For MacArthur Maze Mess (abc7news.com, CA - May 5, 2007)
    • Boxer wants review of trucker standards after freeway collapse (WLOS, NC - May 5, 2007)
    • Barbara Boxer: SCOTUS abortion decision, VTech shootings have made it a hard week for her (Hot Air, MD - Apr 18, 2007)
    • Oakland port to get nearly half of Bay Area's homeland security grants (San Francisco Chronicle, CA - May 10, 2007)
  • Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican - South Carolina
    • Senate Armed Services Committee
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Sen. Graham's Secret Mission In Iraq (CBS News, NY - May 9, 2007)
    • Senator Graham Served in Iraq (WLTX.com, SC - May 9, 2007)
    • Active Duty Soldiers Request Support (Human Events, DC - May 9, 2007)
    • Defending "Extraordinary Renditions" (Slate - May 10, 2007)
    • Senators plan weekend talks on immigration bill (Los Angeles Times, CA - May 12, 2007)
    • Lindsey Graham Does Not Understand Americans (Canada Free Press, Canada - May 10, 2007)
    • Senate nears immigration overhaul (Christian Science Monitor - May 11, 2007)
    • Congress May Get Tough (Wall Street Journal - May 9, 2007)
    • Graham may navigate waters for McCain (Boston Globe, MA - May 2, 2007)
  • Barham Salih
    • Iraqi Deputy Minister | Bio (Wikipedia)
    • Where Iraq Itself Finds Hope by Barham Salih (Washington Post - Sep 17, 2006)
    • Fortenberry: Iraqi Leaders Bend On Vacation Idea (KETV.com, NE - May 10, 2007)
    • Democrats Vote to Cut Off Iraq War Funds Beyond July (Buzzle, CA - May 11, 2007)
    • Talabani: Iraq Still Needs Coalition Forces (Buzzle, CA - May 12, 2007)
    • Iraqi PM advises warm ties with Iran (PRESS TV, Iran - Apr 30, 2007)
    • Kurdish Officials To Meet Govt In Baghdad Over Oil (Javno.hr, Croatia - May 10, 2007)
    • International Iraq Conference Begins in Egypt (Chosun Ilbo, South Korea - May 3, 2007)
  • Max Cleland, Democrat
    • Former Georgia Senator | Bio (Wikipedia)
    • CNN's Softball Cleland Interview, Bush with 'Blood on Hands' (NewsBusters - Apr 28, 2007)
  • Ed Henry
    • CNN White House Correspondent | CNN about page
    • Cheney's 'bad cop' act in Iraq: What's really going on (CNN International - May 10, 2007)
    • GOP lawmakers bluntly tell Bush: Fix Iraq soon (CNN International - May 10, 2007)
    • Shadow government in Iraq? (CNN via uruknet.info, Italy - May 1, 2007)
  • John King
    • CNN Senior Correspondent | CNN about page
    • Interview of the Vice President by John King, CNN (CNN via White House web site - June, 2006)
    • Plot hatched behind cinder block walls (Anderson Cooper 360 blog - Apr 19, 2007)
  • Dana Bash
    • CNN Congressional Correspondent | CNN about page
    • Majority leader didn't tell truth (News-Leader.com, MO - May 8, 2007)
    • DNC: Rudy Giuliani's Credibility on Key Issue Continues to Crumble (All American Patriots (press release), Sweden - May 9, 2007)
  • Drew Barrymore
    • Actress, UN Ambassador Against Hunger
    • Drew Barrymore made UN ambassador (Showbiz Spy, UK - May 10, 2007)

• CNN Late Edition (web page for comments)

---

ABC This Week (George Stephanopoulos)

Below are the topics and guests announced for this program, along with my take on the "memes" that the show is trying to push.  With each guest's name are a series of links that I found in a web search that helped me get a handle on who they are and what their likely positions will be when they are interviewed.

• Meme:
  • Meet the new media, same as the old media - we don't report the news, we manufacture it and force feed it to you
  • Hillary Clinton faxed us a press release and that goes straight into the teleprompter for the news readers - works every time.
  • Did you know that Barack Obama's not ready to be president yet?  Well he's not.  We say so.
  • Did you know that Barack Obama would be a great vice president for Hillary?  Well he will be.  We say so.
  • Brought to you by the Hillary Clinton for President Exploratory Committee
• Topics:
  • On the campaign trail with Sen. Barack Obama
    • In the 13 weeks since he kicked off his bid for the presidency on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill.he's traveled from New Hampshire to Iowa, from South Carolina to Nevada, and to many points in between. He's been to the Clyburn Fish Fry in South Carolina, and the anniversary of the civil rights march in Selma, Ala. , but he hasn't sat down for a Sunday morning interview -- until now.
      • Why does this first-term senator think he has what it takes to be president?
      • What will he do to get us out of Iraq
      • What will he do to make healthcare universal
      • What will he do to stop global warming?
  • Voices segment:
    • Brooke Shields testifies before Congress seeking federal funds for treatment of post partum depression
• Guests
  • Senator Barack Obama, Democrat - Illinois
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Campaign web site | Bio
    • Obama assails private Medicare plans (Boston Globe, MA - May 12, 2007)
    • Grassley-Obama sparring continues over veto override (DesMoinesRegister.com, IA - May 12, 2007)
    • Hundreds attend Obama rally in St. Louis (Chicago Sun-Times, IL - May 12, 2007)
    • Hillary Clinton Up, Barack Obama Down (National Ledger, AZ - May 12, 2007)
    • All American Patriots Endorses Senator Barack Obama for President (All American Patriots (press release), Sweden - May 11, 2007)
    • Obama’s MySpace Mistake (Town Hall - May 11, 2007)
    • Meanwhile: President Obama? Not this time (International Herald Tribune - May 10, 2007)
  • Voices segment: Brooke Shields
    • Shields Rallies For Postpartum Programs (Fox 28, IN - May 11, 2007)
  • Roundtable
    • Sam Donaldson
      • ABC's Sam Donaldson to Host Brady Campaign Gun Control Fundraiser (NewsBusters - Apr 28, 2007)
      • ABC Journalist Worries that Gun Owners Will ‘Shoot the Paperboy’ (NewsBusters - Apr 25, 2007)
    • Cokie Roberts
      • Cokie Roberts & Steven V. Roberts: Sell John McCain stock, buy Bill Richardson's (Billings Gazette, MT - Apr 23, 2007)
      • Roberts: Looking beyond war in Iraq (MetroWest Daily News, MA - May 6, 2007)
    • George Will
      • GEORGE WILL: The real World Bank problem (Orlando Sentinel, FL - May 12, 2007)
      • George Will: Can the Republicans come back in 2008? (Daily Mail - Charleston, WV - May 8, 2007)
• ABC This Week comment web page

[Phsstpok]

Ping

The Weekend Talk Show Preview Thread is up

It will also be cross posted to my blog at

http://wizards.townhall.com/

Here's a sample of  my usually witty commentary...

With the exception of CNN LE this is the weekend of the "meet the candidates because you've never heard of these guys before" Sunday shows.  And, of course, they don't have any of the candidates on that no one really knows.  A thousand years from now, if anyone still cares about American politics, this presidential campaign will be known as the "phony election."

 

 

[rockrr]

"A thousand years from now, if anyone still cares about American politics, this presidential campaign will be known as the "phony election.""

Why Phsstpok, if I didn't know better, I'd think cynicism had gotten the better of you ;'}

Just because a bunch of third-tier political hacks are being paraded as our best & brightest!

"What if they gave an election and no one came"?!

[johnny7]

You want Hunter, maybe Thompson? You get McCain and Hagel.

“All your choices are belong to us!” -Sunday DNC Talk-Shows

[Bahbah]

This is for all the marbles, folks.

Yes, it is. And there are some who allow themselves to be easily distracted and to simply follow the shiny thing.

Thanks, as always, for this excellent preview and witty commentary. I have to go make my house look nice so I can have a lovely mother's day. Back later.

[Phsstpok]

The question is not “am I cynical?”

The question is “am I cynical enough?”

that’s a paraphrase of my favorite question from a movie, substituting “cynical” for the original “paranoid.” Of course, the terms can be used interchangeably in many cases.

[MNJohnnie]

Intresting bit of data I am “sure” will be on this week’s Sunday political talk shows.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1832097/posts

Poll: Congress’ approval same as Bush

The US Junk Media wants you to think that it is all about Iraq because that is all the scream about day in and day out. It is not. People SAY that to pollsters because they hear about Iraq all the time so think they are suppose to be all upset about it. When it comes down to voting, most people could care less about Iraq then about their pocketbook issues.

90% of the people in this country neither know someone in Iraq or in the Military. For most people Iraq is a completely irrelevant issue in their day to day lives. What the problem is are people are just angry and what does the Junk Media expect? It spends all it time in drama queen hysterics spewing half truth, lies and misinformation to keep this constant sense of anxiety going. Day in and day out the Junk Media screams hysteria and panic about your job, the economy, gas prices, your children's safety, your retainment, your home,, your mortgage your health etc etc etc. So people are keep in this low grade state of panic so of course they lash out at any and all authority figures. Democrats are merely reaping what they spent the last 7 years sowing!

The US Junk media merely WANTS the anger to be Iraq because that fits their personal political dogmas. The dirty little secret is that anger is NOT going to go away even if the Democrats got their way on Iraq today.

[rockrr]

Lol! For the first two years I was on FR my tagline was “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you”.

I appreciate that you are among the few that have a relaxed enough take on our current state of affairs and inject a bit of humor (however black or gallows) into the mix.

Unless things change I believe that we are going to be facing some tough, unpleasant choices.

[MNJohnnie]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1832579/posts

Hell has frozen over!

[Txsleuth]

BUMP for later read...

Having a Mother’s Day outing with my kiddos this afternoon.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I’m beginning to think this is going to be the George Soros/Media Matters, taking down America, election.

[Bahbah]

I’m beginning to think this is going to be the George Soros/Media Matters, taking down America, election.

I think that is the plan. I keep thinking that, if we can see this, surely others who might also think this is not a good thing and might actually have some power to do something to counteract this criminal and his minions will sound the alarm, start taking action. Maybe it's happening, but I am not seeing it.

[Arizona Carolyn]

If you ever get a whiff of anyone getting even a little bit of courage to call these people out, and get public attention, please ping me, I don’t want to miss it.

[Bahbah]

*snort*

I certainly will.

[greyfoxx39]

Phssstpok, am I still on your ping list?

[Phsstpok]

No, but I can’t tell you why you might have been dropped, except to say that I’m a computer professional... and stuff happens

You have been added back to the ping list (a simple text file on my PC... of course, I’m probably on my 20th PC since you were originally put on the list, so anything is possible... and I even get a new one in two more weeks!).

Sorry about that.

[Bahbah]

Ft. Dix Terror Plot Foiled: Are the media missing other possible terror threats?

Fox News Watch is asking this question? Do I care if the media misses other threats? NO. I expect other groups to be looking out for that sort of thing. They are feeling a bit too self important, it seems to me.

[greyfoxx39]

No, but I can’t tell you why you might have been dropped, except to say that I’m a computer professional... and stuff happens

O.K...just thought it might have been something I said. (Just kidding)

[Phsstpok]

I’m beginning to think this is going to be the George Soros/Media Matters, taking down America, election.

That is absolutely, 100%, what I see going on.  Now, let us assume we're right.  How do you fight a billionaire who can not only co-opt folks like Warren Buffett but entire governments?

We here have long talked up the power of the "new media" and the community here at FR.  Is it real?  Can we make a difference? A month ago I would have said probably.  Last October I would have said absolutely.  Given the current circumstances I'd say, maybe, maybe not.

I guess, bottom line, it's up to us.  And I guess that I'm up to committing myself to doing whatever I can do, no matter the cost.  The alternative is just unthinkable.

That's one of the reasons why I so what Fred to run.  He's someone who I can not only support but who I think I can get others to support.  Hey, I'm committed but I'm not anxious to take on Sisyphisian tasks if I don't have to.
 

[Paperdoll]

Yawnnnnnn! The same ole, same ole libs for Sunday breakfast, libs for Sunday supper!