[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:
  • We're doomed!  Worry, worry worry.  Famine, fire flood and despair.  Terrorism.  Stocks fall!  Rich people not being taxed enough!  Dogs and cat's living together!  That sort of thing.  Again.
  • Politics too.  Blah, blah, blah.
  • The worst stock market crash since.... the Clinton years when the dot com bubble burst? ...... wait
  • Scandal.  Bureaucrats, those faceless evil AFSCME union members, mistreating Iraq war veterans... wait, somehow it must be Bush's fault

• Topics:
  • Two senior Senators discuss
    • the Senate showdown on Iraq funding
    • the Walter Reed controversy
    • Iran and the 2008 presidential election.
  • The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury on the dramatic drop in the stock market and what it means for the U.S. economy.
  • Voices segment: making a difference through music.
    • Grammy award-winner Wynton Marsalis joins us to discuss his new album.
    • It is his most political album in years, covering political leadership, cultural corruption and our material culture.
• Guests
  • Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat - New York
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • vice chair of the Democratic conference
    • CHUCK GREASES DEMS' ANTI-WAR MACHINE (New York Post, NY - Feb 27, 2007)
    • FOR SHAME, CHUCK (New York Post, NY - Feb 25, 2007)
    • Sen. Chuck Schumer says National Guard, Reserve troops deserve better benefits (Times Herald-Record, NY - Feb 19, 2007)
    • Schumer: Ousted Prosecutors Want to Talk (TPMmuckraker, NY - Feb 28, 2007)
    • Senator Chuck Schumer Requests Additional Airport Funds (NY1, NY - Feb 11, 2007)
    • Schumer Sponsoring Legislation Pushing Back Passport Requirement (WIVB, NY - Feb 22, 2007)
    • No recovery from smear campaign (Chester Daily Local Online, PA - Mar 2, 2007)
  • Senator Trent Lott, Republican - Mississippi
    • Senate web site | Bio
    • Senate minority whip
    • Lott Will Drive the Hand That Feeds Him (U.S. News & World Report, DC - Feb 27, 2007)
    • SUV Plant Strengthens Toyota's Foothold in US (Washington Post, DC - Feb 27, 2007)
    • BestWeek: Whole Lott of Shakin': Antitrust Bill Makes Industry Quiver (Business Wire (press release), CA - Mar 2, 2007)
    • Trent Lott's Revenge [Ramesh Ponnuru] (National Review Online Blogs, NY - Feb 23, 2007)
    • Lott’s Quest to Hold Insurance Companies More Accountable (Helicopter Association International, VA - Feb 13, 2007)
    • State gets $63M for emergency preparedness (Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS - Mar 2, 2007)
    • Mollohan named ‘Porker of the Year' (Daily Mail - Charleston, WV - Mar 1, 2007)
  • Secretary Henry Paulson
    • Secretary of the Treasury | Bio
    • 'I believe that the US economy is healthy' (Telegraph.co.uk, UK - Mar 1, 2007)
    • Sen. Clinton Tells CNBC: Market Turmoil "Wake-Up Call" for US (CNBC - Mar 1, 2007)
    • After the sell-off (International Herald Tribune, France - Mar 1, 2007)
    • Omi Wants to Discuss Economies, North Korea With US's Paulson (Bloomberg - Feb 26, 2007)
    • Summary Box: Toyota's Congress troubles (BusinessWeek - Mar 2, 2007)
    • Goldman Sachs Obscene Bonuses (Black Star News, NY - Mar 1, 2007)
  • Roundtable:
    • Martha Raddatz
      • ABC News Martha Raddatz | Bio
      • Martha Raddatz Recounts the Battle for Sadr City (NPR - Mar 1, 2007) Note: link on page to streaming audio of NPR report
      • Journalist Examines Iraq Battle In-Depth (NPR - Mar 1, 2007) Note: transcript and link on page to streaming audio of NPR report
    • E.J. Dionne
      • Washington Post columnist | Bio
      • EJ Dionne Jr: Cheney actions have destroyed credibility (Billings Gazette, MT - Feb 27, 2007)
      • EJ Dionne Jr.: Petty feud hurts Democrats (Sacramento Bee, CA - Feb 23, 2007)
    • George Will
      • Washington Post Columnist | Bio
      • George Will: Dwindling unions seek employer muzzle (Bangor Daily News, ME - Mar 1, 2007)
      • George Will: Criticism of Bush may cripple Democrats (The Union Leader, NH - Feb 21, 2007)
  • Voices segment: Wynton Marsalis
• ABC This Week comment web page

[Phsstpok]

Ooooo!  I forgot ABC This Week in the analysis.  How could I forget Georgie Steponallofus?  The fact that he's totally irrelevant to anything or anybody, even inside the beltway might have something to do with it.  Plus, with Chuckie Schumer and Trent Lott, who cares?  Same old same old, but the administration at least gets to chime in on the economy with the Treasury Secretary Paulson actually having a chance to explain the economy.  He's not the most dynamic speaker, but that's probably good in this context.  And Raddatz, Dionne and Will are just unwatchable.  Yuck