Free Republic

I've noticed that Al Hunt replaced Mark Shields as the moderator of "Capital Gang." Does anyone know why? I doubt that this show is even watched by most Freepers. I watch it because I really like what Kate O'beirne has to say and usually Robert Novak. I generally manage to watch it a few minutes before I develop an incredible urge to up-chuck due to some gloating or sarcastic comment from the two libs. Is there some sort of rift between Hunt and Shields? Just curious.

The network also plans to end "Capital Gang," the long-running Saturday night panel show created by Novak, later this year. CNN, which lost the services of conservative pundit Tucker Carlson to MSNBC yesterday, immediately signaled plans to get rid of his former program, "Crossfire," the 22-year-old shout show that gave birth to dozens of high-decibel cable slugfests. CNN/U.S. President Jonathan Klein sided yesterday with comedian Jon Stewart, who used a "Crossfire" appearance last fall to rip the program as partisan hackery. "I think he made a good point about the noise level of these types of shows, which does nothing...

In 41 years as a pundit, Robert D. Novak has rarely shied from controversy. As a syndicated columnist and fixture on cable-news shoutfests, Mr. Novak has opined from the right about some of the biggest stories of his time. He has been a stout cold warrior, a critic of Israeli policies and a passionate defender of military veterans who criticized Senator John Kerry's Vietnam War record. But now Mr. Novak, 73, finds himself a central figure in perhaps the gravest confrontation between the government and the press in a generation, and he has been uncharacteristically circumspect. With a federal judge...

CNN's "Capital Gang" Saturday by 4-1 margins predicted Democrat victories for the U.S. Senate and the governorships. The members disagreed on House predictions, but none saw a Democrat majority in the making for the House. Host Mark Shields saw Democrats winning nearly ever close race, even the FL governorship. Fellow liberal Al Hunt thought the Republican Jim Talent would prevail in MO but otherwise saw Democrat victories in SD, MA, and even the MD governorship. Margaret Carlson of Newsweek saw full Democrat victories too except for MO. Conservative Bob Novak saw narrow Republican victories in the close races, including MO,...