Replies

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:
- Tony, Tony, Tony! We really wanted to like you, after the love you lavished on Bill and Hill. But you betrayed us all... why not leave office now and spare us all of the pain of criticizing a Labour Party ~~socialist~~ ~~liberal~~ moderate?
- The wise men of the ISG have spoken, so we will praise them as the gods they are (so long as Bush disagrees with them, even if we don't agree with everything they say either)
- Newly powerful and triumphant Senator Joe Biden is using his vast brainpower to solve the crisis that McChimpy Bushitler has given us... that's it! Divide up Iraq.. no wait... run away... no wait.... has he ever told you about how the baseball's anti-trust exemption works... no wait... did you know he knows how a triple play works... no wait...
- Newly humbled (and up for re-election in 2 years in liberal Oregon) Senator Gordon Smith knows exactly what it takes to get face time on a Sunday morning talk show
- Leftists are not haters of the military! And to prove it they bring on lovable old Lou Grant, who wants us all to send ~~Christmas~~ holiday cards to the troops in Iraq. Of course, he doesn't tell you what he wants to put on those cards...
Topics:
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair sits down for a candid one-on-one interview with George Stephanopoulos to discuss the current reality and future plans for Iraq
- Incoming Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del, and Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore, react to the ISG report and weigh in on its recommendations
- VOICES: Emmy award-winning actor Ed Asner talks about the importance of supporting our troops this holiday season
Guests
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair
  - 10 Downing Street web site | Bio
  - President Bush Meets with Vital Ally, Tony Blair (NPR - Dec 7, 2006)
  - President Bush and Tony Blair Divided At News Conference Concerning the Iraq Study Group Report – Blair Wants to Talk to Iran (Best Syndication, Dec 7, 2006)
  - How much longer should UK troops remain in Iraq? (News & Star, UK - Dec 8, 2006)
  - Tony Blair to spend 20 billion pounds to modernize British nuclear arsenal (Pravda, Russia - Dec 7, 2006)
  - Tony Blair: 'Fit in.. or stay out' (The Sun, UK - Dec 8, 2006)
- Senator Joe Biden, Democrat - Delaware
  - Incoming Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  - Senate web site | Bio
  - Joe Biden, Lindsey Graham, Stephen Breyer, Roundtable (RealClearPolitics, IL - Dec 3, 2006)
  - Joe Biden: Crazy, But In An Entertaining Way (National Review Online Blogs, NY - Dec 4, 2006)
  - Senate Panel Seeks India's Help on Iran (Fars News Agency, Iran - Dec 9, 2006)
  - Outing Joe Bidens inner wannabe Bubba (The Argus, CA - Dec 6, 2006)
  - Some of Joe Biden's Favorite Donut Vendors are Indian (Wonkette (satire), DC - Dec 5, 2006)
- Senator Gordon Smith, Republican - Oregon
  - Senate web site | Bio
  - Smith says Iraq war may be "criminal" (Seattle Times - Dec 8, 2006)
  - Thoughts on Sen. Gordon Smith's Speech 07-Dec-06 (TPMCafe, NY - Dec 9, 2006)
  - Smith's war critique cracks wall of support (OregonLive.com - Dec 9, 2006)
  - Smith, Wyden fight to kep timber aid flowing (KTVZ, OR - Dec 7, 2006)
  - RIP salvage bill (The Register-Guard, OR - Dec 8, 2006)
  - Gordon Smith: Not a moderate, not a maverick. Russell Sadler (BlueOregon, OR - Dec 3, 2006)
  - Olbermann: Is 'Authoritarian' 'Criminal' Bush 'Worst Ever' President (NewsBusters - Dec 9, 2006)
  - 2008: Gordon Smith in the news (BlueOregon, OR - Nov 13, 2006)
- Voices segment: Ed Asner
  - Ed Asner encourages the sending of holiday cards to US troops (Asbury Park Press, NJ - Dec 1, 2006)
  - ‘A Nation Deceived: A Work in Progress’ (Truthdig, United States - Nov 16, 2006)
- ROUNDTABLE:
  - George Will
    - A Report Overtaken by Reality (Washington Post - Dec 7, 2006)
  - Cokie Roberts
    - Roberts' Views -- Stop attacking the press (Rhinelander Daily News, WI - Dec 6, 2006)
  - Sam Donaldson
    - Exploring the F-bomb (OregonLive.com, OR - Dec 1, 2006)
  - Fareed Zakaria
    - Pakistan must stop backing Taliban (The Buffalo News - Dec 5, 2006)
- Emmy award-winning actor Ed Asner
ABC This Week comment web page