Weekend Show *Preview* for 8/19 - 8/20/06 (not the live thread)

Network and Cable News Networks | 8/19/06 | Network and Cable News

[Phsstpok]

Weekend Talk Show Preview - Analysis for August 19^th and 20^th

A quick note about the show web sites.  MTP's web site has excellent resources and links to provide background on the guests and they're tending to get it posted earlier on Fridays than they used to.  I want to commend Fox for the new Coming Up on FOX News Sunday feature on their web site.  It gives a good overview and intro to the show.  Maybe they've been reading our stuff?  ABC is doing a good job of posting on their site, including a semi informative intro beyond just the simple listing, but not much further background on the guests or topics.  CBS Face The Nation is at least posting their line up and guests in a timely fashion, but it is the most bare bones web site of the Sunday shows.  There's literally nothing beyond the absolute minimum about the show topic and guests.  I don't think they've figured out this newfangled internet thingy yet, nor the concept of actually informing people with their content.  Lil Timmah's Saturday show posting is even less than that and is just an afterthought on the MTP site.  The Fox Saturday shows were very late posting this week and they still have almost no useful information.  Maybe they should start reading our stuff?

I missed the announced appearance last week on CNN Late Edition by Vali Nasr and the transcript of that show appears to omit any references to him.. He now appears to be making his second (announced) appearance on the Sunday shows in just two weeks, this time on Meet The Press.  Based on the info I've researched about him I'm very interested in what he has to say (and what the DBM is trying to spin it to mean).  He seems to be a voice to pay attention to in order to figure out what's really going on "over there."  Based on the news stories I've found about him I will go out of my way to try to see him on MTP this week, even if that does mean suffering through John McCain (he's running for President, you know).  And Barry McCaffrey is simply a joke.  He's now styling himself as an expert on airport security.   Didn't he almost start world war 3 with the Russians in Bosnia over an airport?  Yeah, he's the one I want in charge of airport security. 

It looks like Fox will take a serious look at airport security with a serious voice on the subject, former head of Israeli airport security, Rafi Ron, and a very unserious politician, Chuck Hagel (he's running for President, you know).  Rand Beers is a Richard Clarke wanna be, and Pete King runs hot and cold on these shows, so they'll be a mixed bag, I'm sure.  The panel looks good this week, especially since Brit is back!  No Juan, but Anne Kornblut of the NY Times is on, so I bet there's a smack down anyway.  Woohoo!

Face The Nation had Lamont last week so this week they're having Lieberman on (he ran for Vice President, you know).  Watch for a sad interview focusing on how much pain he is causing in the party that he should be loyal to.  Jim VandeHei will be presenting yet another lesson in how the Democrats should be running their campaign in order to regain their rightful places of power, while proclaiming certain doom for the Republicans.

ABC This week has the one, the only, John F. Kerry (he's running for President, you know).  Between he and the roundtable we'll get an earful of MoveOn.ORG talking points with nary a peep of rebuttal.  Fareed Zakaria is now the darling of the left, after he said that Donald Rumsfeld ‘Seems in a parallel universe and slightly deranged’ on this show back in July.  He, Cokie, the two Georges and their guest Bush Basher, the Washington Post's Robin Wright, will compete to who can have the most vicious sound bite explaining just how bad George W. Bush is for the world as they know it.

The Saturday shows are holding to their tried and true patterns.  Fred and Mort continued reprising old Saturday Night Live skits.  Tim Russert interviews yet another Bush Basher for his own amusement (I don't think he's hawking a book this time, but Carlin has a new CD).  Fox News Watch plays more circle the wagons against the new media and will ignore the continuing revelations of fraud and grotesque bias across their entire profession.  The Journal Editorial Report has the author of Londonistan, a book that tells the truth and is therefore causing much angst in the Muslim and leftist communities in the UK and elsewhere.  Here is someone who actually tells truth to power and the multiculturalists denounce her and want her book suppressed.  That should be an interesting show this week.

The main themes are the Democrat's newest campaign idea (number 98) of trying to convince everyone that George W. Bush has made the world less stable and that we are therefore more in more danger, not less.  They seem to be gaining some traction with the notion that things are scary out there, but not with the idea that they are the answer.  In the long run this will probably turn out to have been a bad idea.  I mean, c'mon, with John Kerry in the forefront, how serious can anyone take them?

All of the above is simply my humble opinion, so have at it.

The individual shows are posted below, with the Saturday shows first, then individual posts on each of the Sunday shows.

This is cross posted at my blog on Townhall.com (analysis post only here).  This post 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 rare 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!

I will also post a link to Mark Kilmer's excellent preview over at RedState.COM when it is up. I'll post a link to this Sunday's live thread here when it is up.

 

 

[Phsstpok]

Saturday Shows for 8-19-06

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:
  • Republicans are doomed!  No, they're not.  Yes, they are!
  • Hezbollah lost the war.  No, they didn't.  Yes, they did.
• Topics:
  • The gloves come OFF: As Election Day approaches, each party is accusing the other of being soft on terror
  • Did Hezbollah really win the Mideast conflict?
• 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:
  • It's George Carlin and Tim Russert - the mind boggles, but it can't be good
• Topics:
  • Tim talks to comedian & author George Carlin about his philosophy of life , religion and much more.
• Guests
  • George Carlin
    • web site
• CNBC's Tim Russert Show airs Saturday at 7pm, 10pm & 1am ET

Fox News Watch (Eric Burns)

• Meme:
  • We in the media deserve credit for ending the horrible war by Israel on the poor, defenseless, Lebanese children
  • We in the media deserve credit for reporting on the proof that the Ramsey's didn't do it... what?  You're not sure?  Never mind.
  • We in the media deserve credit for denying political advantage to Bush and Blair for protecting us from terrorists... excuse me... "alleged freedom fighters"
• Topics:
  • Mideast cease-fire doesn't mean media cease-fire
  • Can the media finally cease suspecting the Ramseys?
  • Are the media giving Bush and Blair credit for thwarted London terrorist attacks?
• 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 former leftist reporter for the Guardian who has now "seen the light" is the prime target of the axis of convenience: the hard core left and the Jihadi's - therefore she must be worth listening to
• Topics:
  • Opinion Journal web site: Albion Qaeda
    • The author of "Londonistan," talks about homegrown jihad in Britain and the U.S., and what to do about it.
    • Journal editors debate the results and consequences of the 34-day Lebanese war
    • George Soros's op-ed assailing the "war on terror."
  • Fox News web site:
    • Is Europe becoming a hub for homegrown terror? Melanie Phillips, author of 'Londonistan' weighs in
    • NCAA goes politically correct
• Guests
  • Melanie Phillips
    • Author's web site | Bio
    • author of "Londonistan"
    • Terror & Denial (Commentary, NY - Aug 7, 2006)
    • Melanie Phillips: “The Guardian is a sanctimonious club of zealots' (Press Gazette, UK - Aug 6, 2006)
    • British author’s extreme (Australian Jewish News, Australia - Aug 16, 2006)
    • Not Quite Their Finest Hour (Lone Star Times, TX - Aug 16, 2006)
• 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 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. and again Sunday at 6 a.m. ET

[Phsstpok]

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:
  • The Democrats theme is that Bush has made us less safe, let's see what we can do to help them
  • The Democrats theme is that Bush has made the Middle East less stable, let's see what we can do to help them
  • How about that court ruling, huh?  I mean, it was incoherent and will last 5 minutes on appeal, but Specter will defend it as sound under ancient Buddhist law, or some such, won't he?
• Topics:
  • One week since the fighting stopped, tensions are still high in the Middle East -- will the cease-fire hold?
• Guests
  • Senator Arlen Specter, Republican - Pennsylvania
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Administration Expected To Push For Specter’s Sham ‘Compromise’ Legislation On NSA Program (Think Progress, DC - Aug 17, 2006)
    • Surveilling Arlen Specter (Salon - Jul 25, 2006)
    • No Compromise: Arlen Specter's Surveillance Bill (JURIST - Jul 21, 2006)
    • Bush drive for tougher terror laws picks up (Baltimore Sun, United States - Aug 19, 2006)
    • Judge declares wiretapping unconstitutional (The Argus, CA - Aug 18, 2006)
    • Arlen Specter (Salon - Jul 26, 2006)
  • Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat - California
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Warrantless wiretaps ruled unconstitutional (San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - Aug 17, 2006)
    • Liberals Fight Bush Bid to Change the Constitution on Wiretapping (About - News & Issues, NY - Aug 18, 2006)
    • Disputed cross now federal property (Concord Monitor, NH - Aug 19, 2006)
    • What's in a Word? Linguist George Lakoff Probes 'Freedom' (New California Media, CA - Aug 18, 2006)
    • Lieberman Defeat is Bad Sign for Pro-War Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Green Party US (press release), DC - Aug 16, 2006)
    • Caught On Tape: Feinstein On Open Mic (CBS 5, CA - Aug 16, 2006)
  • Iraqi Industry Minister Fawzi al-Hariri.
    • BBC NEWS | Middle East | Who's who in Iraq's new cabinet
    • Aljazeera.Net - Iraq leaders demand pullout timetable (Aljazeera - Nov 21, 2005)
• CNN Late Edition (web page for comments)

[Phsstpok]

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:
  • Can you say "schizophrenic?"  I knew you could.
  • Are the Republicans doomed?
  • We are losing the war on terror... wait, we're winning the war on terror... wait...
  • Chuck Hagel is running for President by trashing the Republican president
  • How about that court ruling, huh?  I mean, it was incoherent and will last 5 minutes on appeal, but we don't have to cover that, do we?
• Topics:
  • Is commercial air travel safe? (King/Ron/Beers)
    • Is enough being done to ensure passenger security?
    • Are we looking ahead to confront future threats or are we merely responding to the enemy?
    • Is it now time to consider profiling passengers instead of randomly selecting fliers for security checks?
  • The latest developments at home and abroad in the war on terror and Iraq (Hagel)
    • A federal judge Thursday struck down the president’s National Security Agency domestic surveillance program as unconstitutional. Where does that ruling leave U.S. capabilities in fighting the war on terrorism in the aftermath of the latest plot?
    • Where does the U.S. stand in the Middle East with the shaky cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel and continuing sectarian violence and mounting casualties in Iraq?
    • What are the implications of the continuing regional strife on domestic politics and the upcoming midterm elections?
  • Working to make sure major league baseball finally stays in the nations capital for good.
  • Essay: Coming Up on FOX News Sunday
• Guests
  • Rep. Pete King
    • House web site | Bio
    • Frantic hunt in jet scheme (New York Daily News, NY - Aug 11, 2006)
    • 'Nice guys' next door plotted horrific attacks (New York Daily News, NY - Aug 11, 2006)
    • Many families are still fuming (New York Daily News, NY - Jul 16, 2006)
    • Rep. Peter King (R-NY) proposes ethnic and religious profiling. (Think Progress, DC - Aug 17, 2006)
    • NY-03: Peter King Says Lamont Supporters Are "Bigots" (Swing State Project, New York - Aug 10, 2006)
    • Rep. Peter King: Terror Plot was 'Real Deal' (1010 Wins, NY - Aug 10, 2006)
  • Rafi Ron
    • former chief of security at Israeli Airports
    • US Monitors Travelers Face Expressions (Islam Online, Qatar - Aug 17, 2006)
    • Security in US Airports to Intensify (Forbes - Aug 10, 2006)
    • Security Measures Reaction to Threats (Guardian Unlimited, UK - Aug 10, 2006)
    • Screening at airports to evolve as time moves on (Rutland Herald, VT - Aug 13, 2006)
    • Profiling, wiretaps suggested as anti-terror tools (KARE, MN - Aug 15, 2006)
  • Rand Beers
    • Rand Beers - SourceWatch
    • former  presidential counter-terrorism adviser (Reagan/Bush 1/Clinton/Bush 2
    • national security adviser to the 2004 presidential campaign of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.)
    • Terror Turf Wars: Are Dems Winning? (National Journal, DC - Aug 14, 2006)
    • Bush: Terror arrests are `stark reminder' (Chicago Tribune, United States - Aug 11, 2006)
    • Foiled plot shows terrorists still `obsessed with airplanes' (San Jose Mercury News,  USA - Aug 10, 2006)
    • Homeland Security Department Praised for Its Response (Washington Post, United States - Aug 10, 2006)
  • Senator Chuck Hagel (Republican - Nebraska)
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Arianna Huffington: Has Chuck Hagel Hijacked the Straight Talk Express? (Yahoo! News - Aug 18, 2006)
    • Everyone Knows: November Elections Will Figure In Hagel's Presidential Interest (Nebraska StatePaper.com, NE - Aug 18, 2006)
    • Hagel Says He Wants Disaster Relief Built Into Farm Bill (KTIV, IA - Aug 15, 2006)
    • Chuck Hagel: Opposition Senator (Yahoo! News - Aug 2, 2006)
    • Hagel's frugality message not well received (Lincoln Journal Star, NE - Aug 17, 2006)
    • Four weeks of war proved Hagel's point (Lincoln Journal Star, NE - Aug 16, 2006)
  • Fox News Sunday panel
    • Fox News Managing Editor Brit Hume
      • FOXNews.com - Brit Hume - Bio
      • Networks Ignore Weaknesses in NSA Surveillance Ruling by Liberal Judge (NewsBusters - Aug 18, 2006)
      • Jimmy Carter Slams Israel's Attack on Lebanon (FOX News - Aug 18, 2006)
      • Special Reports' "Two Minutes of Hate" - Hate Supplied by Hume? (News Hounds, CA - Aug 10, 2006)
      • Zogby Poll: Most Americans Can Name Three Stooges, But Not Three Branches of Gov't (FOX News - Aug 15, 2006)
    • Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol
      • The Weekly Standard - William Kristol
      • What Does Bill Kristol Know, Anyway? (Huffington Post, NY - Aug 14, 2006)
      • CT-SEN: Neocon Bill Kristol Donates to Lieberman (TPMCafe, NY - Jul 21, 2006)
      • GIVE WARMONGER BILL KRISTOL A GUN (Free Market News Network, FL - Jul 21, 2006)
      • George Will Excoriates Bill Kristol & Weekly Standard in Tomorrow's Washington Post (TPMCafe, NY - Jul 17, 2006)
      • Transformation's Toll (Washington Post - Jul 18, 2006)
    • Roll Call Executive Editor Mort Kondracke
      • FOXNews.com - Mort Kondracke - Bio
      • Anti-War Left Turns Up Heat on Hillary Clinton (FOX News - Aug 13, 2006)
      • Pull Up a Chair - This Is The Funniest Show In Politics (Huffington Post, NY - Jul 21, 2006)
      • Is a Compromise on Immigration in the Cards for Republicans and Democrats? (FOX News - Jul 24, 2006)
    • New York Times Reporter Anne Kornblut
      • Hillary spins the New York Times. (Slate - Aug 7, 2006)
      • The Saturday Brunch (National Journal, DC - Jul 29, 2006)
      • Anne Kornblut, Reporter New York Times- Recent Articles (www.annekornblut.com)
  • Power player of the week: the new Washington Nationals owner Mark Lerner
• Fox News Sunday contact information - FNS@foxnews.com

[Phsstpok]

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:
  • Joe, say it ain't so, Joe!
  • The Republicans are DOOMED!!!!!!  The WaPo tells us so.
  • The Democrats theme is that Bush has made us less safe, let's see what we can do to help them
  • The Democrats theme is that Bush has made the Middle East less stable, let's see what we can do to help them
  • How about that court ruling, huh?  I mean, it was incoherent and will last 5 minutes on appeal, but we don't have to cover that, do we?
• Topics:
  • Iraq, Terrorism and Politics
• Guests
  • Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.)
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Running As An Independent Candidate
    • I'm glad Joe Lieberman lost the primary (Die Welt, Germany - Aug 18, 2006)
    • Lieberman should step aside for real Democrats (Central Maine Morning Sentinel - Aug 18, 2006)
    • Lieberman paid for expressing beliefs (Sun-Sentinel.com - Aug 18, 2006)
    • Lieberman’s party of one (The State - Aug 18, 2006)
    • The real Connecticut story: We're so over Joe Lieberman (Seattle Times, United States - Aug 18, 2006)
    • In Connecticut, Lieberman has edge on Lamont (Houston Chronicle - Aug 17, 2006)
    • Republican supportbolsters Lieberman (Connecticut Post, CT - Aug 18, 2006)
  • Jim VandeHei
    • National Political Reporter, The Washington Post
    • Missing the Point on Prices (Business Media Institute, VA - Aug 7, 2006)
    • For Republicans, bad gets worse in Northeast (Newsweek - Aug 14, 2006)
    • Top Demos unite to press Bush on pulling out of Iraq (San Jose Mercury News,  USA - Aug 1, 2006)
    • Democrats Split On Philosophy (Hartford Courant, United States - Aug 2, 2006)
    • New liberal group suffers growing pains ((San Jose Mercury News,  USA - Jul 17, 2006)
    • CECI REDUX! Has the Washington Post found its new Ceci Connolly? Jim VandeHei’s work makes us ask: (www.dailyhowler.com Feb 26, 2004)
• Face The Nation contact information - ftn@cbsnews.com

[Phsstpok]

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:
  • John Kerry, who really won the 2004 election, provides his wisdom, sans criticism or even mildly challenging questions
  • John Kerry is running for President by trashing the Republican president
  • John Reid may be the successor to Tony Blair and might even continue the policy of supporting George W. Bush's WOT - he must be destroyed!  It is a moral imperative!
  • The Republicans are DOOMED!!!!!!  The WaPo/Newsweek/ABC News/John Kerry tells us so.
  • The Democrats theme is that Bush has made us less safe, let's see what we can do to help them
  • The Democrats theme is that Bush has made the Middle East less stable, let's see what we can do to help them
  • How about that court ruling, huh?  I mean, it was incoherent and will last 5 minutes on appeal, but we don't have to cover that, do we?
• Topics:
  • President Bush set his strategy on the three big issues facing the country this week: Iraq, the war on terror and the economy. In a Sunday exclusive, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., responds for the Democrats and weighs in on the politics of '06 and '08.
  • British Home Secretary John Reid joins me to discuss the latest developments in the continuing investigation into the alleged terror network blamed for a plot to set off liquid explosives on planes. Are the British better prepared to combat these terror threats? Are their techniques and anti-terror laws superior to those in the U.S.?
  • The struggle for Middle East peace
• Guests
  • Senator John Kerry (Democrat - Massachusetts)
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • JohnKerry.com - Official Web Site
    • Sen. John Kerry Supporting Anti-War Candidates (All Headline News - Aug 16, 2006)
    • John Kerry goes to bat for Lamont (WTNH, New Haven (AP) - Aug 16, 2006)
    • Kerry touts anti-war candidates Lamont, Menendez and Akaka (KPUA, HI - Aug 17, 2006)
    • Kerry takes different direction in SC (Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC - Aug 16, 2006)
    • Sign of the Apocalypse (Or: Kerry’s Running Again) (Mother Jones, CA - Aug 18, 2006)
  • British Home Secretary John Reid
    • Europe faces "persistent and very real" threat: Reid (People's Daily Online, China - Aug 16, 2006)
    • Reid sets his sights on power as well as security (The North West Enquirer, UK - Aug 17, 2006)
    • The many truths that John Reid does not ‘get’ (The Herald, UK - Aug 14, 2006)
    • John Reid in charge - official (East Anglian Daily Times, UK - Aug 14, 2006)
    • John Reid spin could wreck case against terror suspects' (Daily Mail, UK - Aug 12, 2006)
    • Yes, now we should all be afraid ... of John Reid (Daily Mail, UK - Aug 12, 2006)
    • The prime minister is gone, long live John Reid! (Mathaba.Net, UK - Aug 14, 2006)
  • Roundtable:
    • Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria
      • Fareed Zakaria.com
      • Zakaria: Rumsfeld ‘Seems In A Parallel Universe and Slightly Deranged’ (Think Progress, DC - Jul 30, 2006)
      • Top Journalists Denounce English as Official Language as 'Nonsense' and 'Silly' (NewsBusters - May 21, 2006)
      • Islam and Power (Newsweek - Feb. 13, 2006)
    • The Washington Post's Robin Wright
      • Robin Wright: Inside the mind of Hezbollah (Sacramento Bee,  USA - Jul 18, 2006)
      • Washington Post-Watch: Meltdown on Sunday in August (CAMERA.org - Aug 18, 2006)
      • Israel Begins Troop Pullout From Lebanon (CBS 13, CA - Aug 15, 2006)
      • The Washington Post's Misrepresentation of the Shebaa Farms (CAMERA.org - Aug 14, 2006)
    • Middle East affairs expert Reuel Gerecht
      • Right Web | Profile | Reuel Gerecht
      • frontline: campaign against terror: interviews: reuel gerecht | PBS
      • The fever is winning (The Argus, CA - Jul 21, 2006)
    • George Will
      • Washington Post Columns
      • The Triumph of Unrealism (Washington Post - Aug 18, 2006 - Registration Required)
      • Transformation's Toll (Washington Post - Jul 18, 2006)
  • VOICES SUNDAY: Director Spike Lee on Katrina's Wake
• ABC This Week comment web page

[Phsstpok]

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:
  • John McCain is running for President by reluctantly supporting President Bush (sometimes) - just like Bob Dole, for being a good scout, "it's his turn"
  • The Democrats theme is that Bush has made us less safe, let's see what we can do to help them
  • The Democrats theme is that Bush has made the Middle East less stable, let's see what we can do to help them
  • The Republicans are DOOMED!!!!!!  The WSJ/CNBC/General McCaffery tells us so.
  • How about that court ruling, huh?  I mean, it was incoherent and will last 5 minutes on appeal, but we don't have to cover that, do we?
• Topics:
  • Armed Services Committee member and potential 2008 Presidential Candidate Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) discusses
    • the war in Iraq
    • the situation in the Middle East
    • the politics of war and terrorism
  • Sectarian violence in Iraq
    • Why are the attacks against American and Iraqi troops increasing?
    • How does the continued bloodshed in Iraq affect the 2006 elections?
• Guests
  • Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
    • Senate web site | Bio | Senate Armed Services Committee
    • Member, Senate Armed Services Committee
    • John McCain to meet with Grand Strand residents – by Jim Hulen (NorthMyrtleBeachOnline.com, SC - Aug 16, 2006)
    • McCain stops in Bluffs during tour of Iowa (Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, IA - Aug 17, 2006)
    • McCain gathers followers elsewhere (Arizona Republic, AZ - Aug 17, 2006)
    • McCain: Resentment remains in 2000 race (Sacramento Bee,  USA - Aug 15, 2006)
    • What Would John McCain Do As President? (National Journal, DC - Aug 16, 2006)
    • Bring on John McCain (Times Online, UK - Aug 13, 2006)
  • General Barry McCaffrey (Retired)
    • Bio
    • US general: free terror suspects to kill them later (The Herald, UK - Aug 6, 2006)
    • Former Drug Czar says Airport Security Can Improve Still (KCBS, CA - Aug 7, 2006)
    • What now for Cuba? A guessing game over Castro (International Herald Tribune, France - Aug 3, 2006)
    • Brother steps into spotlight (The State, SC - Aug 6, 2006)
  • Dr. Vali Nasr
    • Professor, Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School | CCC Bio
    • Adjunct Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations | CFR Bio
    • Author, "The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam will Shape the Future"
    • Author Vali Nasr Discusses Growing Political Power of Shi'a Muslims (Voice of America -  Aug 18, 2006)
    • A Future Shaped by Sunni - Shia Clash (Here and Now, MA - Aug 15, 2006)
    • Muslim Against Muslim (New York Times - Aug 12, 2006)
    • Review: The Shia Revival (International Herald Tribune, France - Aug 11, 2006)
    • Shia Crescent rising (Globe and Mail, Canada - Aug 12, 2006)
    • Watching Lebanon (LAI, France - Aug 14, 2006)
    • Reading Jefferson in Tehran (Washington Post - Aug 12, 2006)
  • John Harwood
    • Wall Street Journal; Chief Washington Correspondent, CNBC
    • WSJ | CNBC
    • Both Parties Post Low Approval Ratings in Poll (Wall Street Journal - Jul 27, 2006)
    • Know Your Constituents, Ignore Fools - How to Win Elections 101 (Wizbang, DC - Jul 28, 2006)
    • WSJ spins poll results to show good news for Bush (Raw Story, MA - Jul 27, 2006)
• 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)

[Phsstpok]

Ping

The Weekend Preview Thread is up

If you would like on or off my ping list please Freepmail me

See the initial post for my "usual witty commentary"

[meema]

BTTT! Thanks again for your fine work, Phsstpok.

[meema]

Didn't he almost start world war 3 with the Russians in Bosnia over an airport?

I think that was Gen. Clark, (who also wanted to be our president.)

[Miss Marple]

Once again I must commend you on your excellent preview thread. There is a wealth of information here, and I am always happy to know the line-ups ahead of time.

One undercurrent I saw beginning to bubble up last week is people sowing the seeds of doubt about Condi Rice. Tammy Bruce (of all people) started this muttering on Fox. I think this has more to do with trying to negate her as a potential presidential candidate than anything else, but I will be interested to see if there is any further stuff along this vein.

I suspect this comes from people who are allying themselves with either McCain or Gingrich, but time will tell.

[Bahbah]

Thank you very much for the post, Phsstpok. I am saved from having to listen to Alex Witt interviewing a "psychic" regarding the JonBenet case. Not to be believed. Now to read through your excellent material.

[Phsstpok]

I think that was Gen. Clark, (who also wanted to be our president.)

You're right.  I was thinking of Weaselly when I made that comment.  I have to go back and reread the articles on McCaffrey to see if I did him a disservice in my analysis.

[Phsstpok]

Meema has pointed out that I was thinking of Wesley Clark when I made comments about General Barry McCaffrey. I withdraw the suggestion that he will be Bush bashing (he may, but the stuff I've linked to about him doesn't back that up). I also withdraw the comments about General Barry McCaffrey in the analysis and offer him an apology.

I will remove those comments from the blog version of this weeks posts 

[rodguy911]

Great stuff as usual Phssstpok, hope all is well with you.Gotta work all day today and some tomorrow as well. Than it's back on the road.

Oh no! I wanted to see Britt drop/kick Juan again.

[rodguy911]

It will be interesting to see if the love affair between MCCain and the LW/DBM is still in effect or if the DNC has told the MSM to cancel it for the upcoming elections.

[rodguy911]

I can't wait to see the MSM/DBM try and demagogue Condi. That will be fun to see them all go home with spike marks on their foreheads.

[acsrp38]

John F. Kerry (he's running for President, you know)

John F Kerry served in Vietnam -- he has the hat and everything to prove it.

(Just thought you would all like to know)

[acsrp38]

The main themes are the Democrat's newest campaign idea (number 98) of trying to convince everyone that George W. Bush has made the world less stable and that we are therefore more in more danger, not less.

To paraphrse--

Bush lied, people died, Hallburton (he blew up the levees too)

Troops aren't trained, Officers are incompetant, sh*& don't work. (Bush's fault, fire Rummy)

All you need to know

[MNJohnnie]

As Election Day approaches, each party is accusing the other of being soft on terror

Can anyone tell me how Democrats think they are going to sell this idea? I hear people like Harry Reid running around screaming, in the aftermath of the Carter Appointee Judges freak out about the NSA probram, that the President has agenda has "made the American People less safe". Umm where Democrats are on the record as opposing everything from the Patriot Act to Gitmo to the NSA program how do they expect to sell this. Their PR machine is usually way smarter then this. Completely in contempt of anything approaching intellectual honesty, but glib and clever. I just cannot get my head around how they thing this is going to sell?

[MNJohnnie]

McCaferty can blow hot or cold. He can out Clark Clark at times. I guess we will have to see which one shows up.