Eddie Dean and Emily Yoffe
The Soft-Money Soft-Shoe
By Emily Yoffe
Posted Tuesday, May 2, 2000, at 11:43 AM ETDear Eddie,
So your governor--James Gilmore--is having some problems with minorities. Since Gilmore is a big George W. Bush supporter, maybe he could get some advice from Bush's state commissioner of health, Dr. William R. (Reyn) Archer III, a gynecologist. In his column in yesterday's New York Times, Bob Herbert writes about remarks Archer has made about African-Americans (i.e., "... when blacks were more segregated, and had less opportunity, ... they did better on cultural measures than they do in that sense today"). Perhaps Gilmore could apply some of Archer's stirrup-side manner with difficult constituents. When Archer discussed birth control with patients, he says, "if they did not bend to my will, I would tell them to go elsewhere." (Help me, I feel a segue coming on about the news that Donna Hanover, wife of Rudy Giuliani, is temporarily bowing out of appearing in The Vagina Monologues.)
My favorite political story of the day is the one on the Times' front page that says some large corporations are refusing to make soft-money contributions to political parties. The best comment is from Lanny Davis, the former Clinton shill, now lobbyist--he represents the government of Pakistan, among others. Washington has gotten so unseemly that Davis admits he is disgusted by himself! Why do I suspect that despite these soiled feelings, Davis will find a way to soldier on?
The companies that are declining to give offer two somewhat contradictory reasons: a) The process is too corrupt, and b) it's not corrupt enough--that is, we're not getting enough for all the money we give you guys. (I'll put my money on "b".) Eddie, before you start to think you'll be able to find street parking on K Street, the Times points out that the parties have raised $160.5 million in soft money so far this election cycle, double what was raised by this date in 1996. Three organizations, AT&T, Philip Morris, and the National Rifle Association, managed to choke down their distaste with Washington long enough to make six-figure contributions to the Republican Party's salute to Bush last week. This confluence makes me wonder--are the three planning to put together a phone bank to test this message: "If you don't start smoking, we'll shoot you"?
I'm off to read "Science Times" and the Washington Post health section, I'll let you know this afternoon what I find.
Emily
The Soft-Money Soft-Shoe
By Emily Yoffe
Posted Tuesday, May 2, 2000, at 11:43 AM ETEddie Dean is a contributing writer for Talk magazine and Washington City Paper. Emily Yoffe is a frequent contributor to Slate. Reader Response from The Fray--to be read after the final entry:
Not only should Bobo the Clown be drafted to moderate the Presidential debates [Thursday's entry], but he should chair every Congressional Committee, be given Joe Lockhart's job, and he should anchor the news on all networks.
--Will Allen
(To reply, click
here.)
I know it's all the rage now to demonstrate your liberal bona fides by trashing the Confederate flag in South Carolina or Confederate History Month in Virginia, but Eddie's little diatribe against Governor Gilmore and Richmond, Virginia takes the cake [Tuesday]. I see that he has joined some of those he criticizes in hijacking history, ascribing his beliefs to be in the great tradition of Robert E. Lee.
The natural progression of not honoring Confederate History Month is to begin to impede or discourage tourists who want to visit Civil War sites or Confederate museums and cemeteries, as these people must be misguided at best or racist yahoos at worst. I'm sure that Virginians of all ethnicities who work in tourism-related businesses appreciate all the controversy and would rather not have Civil War tourists staying in hotels, eating at restaurants, or buying souvenirs. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Virginia elect the one and only black governor ever to serve in the 50 states?
If you could find 50 people in Virginia who knew about the Confederate History Month proclamation before this contretemps, I would be shocked.
--Will
(To reply, click
here.)
(5/4)
Slate should call this "Whenever You Can Make It To The Table" instead of the "Breakfast Table".
--NT
[See timing of Monday's posts. Matters seemed to improve during the week.]
(To reply, click
here.)
So there could be genetically-engineered giant animals [Monday's entry]--but what about when politicians start splicing their genes? Imagine the havoc a 50-foot George Bush would do to the environment--dangerous. Or the monotone bellow of a 100-foot-tall Gore. O the horror.
--Chris
(To reply, click
here.)
I have engineered four-legged chickens because my family likes fried chicken legs. We are as of this date unsure of the palatability of these fowl because now we can't catch them.
--eieio
(To reply, click
here.)
Today Pharm Animals--Tomorrow Your Mom!
--Seeking Justice
(To reply, click
here.)
[This was the title of the post. There was quite a lot more, but this seemed to hit the spot.]
Actually, if the knife that George Harrison was stabbed with had been about a half-inch to the left, he would have died instantly [Monday]. Only those with no knowledge or understanding of violence (which in this post-draft era means basically all of the chattering classes) think that knives are inherently less lethal than guns.
--Tench Coxe
(To reply, click
here.)
Re: the possible break-up of Microsoft:
Oh Emily,
Some of us relate:
Poor Bill's the guy everyone loves to hate.
But fear not for your beloved Slate
Just follow His lead,
simply innovate.
--Ann
(To reply, click
here.)
(5/2)
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Reader Response from The Fray--to be read after the final entry:
Not only should Bobo the Clown be drafted to moderate the Presidential debates [Thursday's entry], but he should chair every Congressional Committee, be given Joe Lockhart's job, and he should anchor the news on all networks.
--Will Allen
(To reply, click here.)
I know it's all the rage now to demonstrate your liberal bona fides by trashing the Confederate flag in South Carolina or Confederate History Month in Virginia, but Eddie's little diatribe against Governor Gilmore and Richmond, Virginia takes the cake [Tuesday]. I see that he has joined some of those he criticizes in hijacking history, ascribing his beliefs to be in the great tradition of Robert E. Lee.
The natural progression of not honoring Confederate History Month is to begin to impede or discourage tourists who want to visit Civil War sites or Confederate museums and cemeteries, as these people must be misguided at best or racist yahoos at worst. I'm sure that Virginians of all ethnicities who work in tourism-related businesses appreciate all the controversy and would rather not have Civil War tourists staying in hotels, eating at restaurants, or buying souvenirs. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Virginia elect the one and only black governor ever to serve in the 50 states?
If you could find 50 people in Virginia who knew about the Confederate History Month proclamation before this contretemps, I would be shocked.
--Will
(To reply, click here.)
(5/4)
Slate should call this "Whenever You Can Make It To The Table" instead of the "Breakfast Table".
--NT
[See timing of Monday's posts. Matters seemed to improve during the week.]
(To reply, click here.)
So there could be genetically-engineered giant animals [Monday's entry]--but what about when politicians start splicing their genes? Imagine the havoc a 50-foot George Bush would do to the environment--dangerous. Or the monotone bellow of a 100-foot-tall Gore. O the horror.
--Chris
(To reply, click here.)
I have engineered four-legged chickens because my family likes fried chicken legs. We are as of this date unsure of the palatability of these fowl because now we can't catch them.
--eieio
(To reply, click here.)
Today Pharm Animals--Tomorrow Your Mom!
--Seeking Justice
(To reply, click here.)
[This was the title of the post. There was quite a lot more, but this seemed to hit the spot.]
Actually, if the knife that George Harrison was stabbed with had been about a half-inch to the left, he would have died instantly [Monday]. Only those with no knowledge or understanding of violence (which in this post-draft era means basically all of the chattering classes) think that knives are inherently less lethal than guns.
--Tench Coxe
(To reply, click here.)
Re: the possible break-up of Microsoft:
Oh Emily,
Some of us relate:
Poor Bill's the guy everyone loves to hate.
But fear not for your beloved Slate
Just follow His lead,
simply innovate.
--Ann
(To reply, click here.)
(5/2)