For the Record

Capitol culture shock as post-election press conferences by GOP leaders left D.C.’s media types as slackjawed as Japanese admirals after Midway. A triumphant Sen. Phil Gramm (R., Tex.), chairman of GOP Senatorial Campaign Committee, didn’t make usual post-election warm and fuzzy sounds about moderate colleagues but told press they were “this little ole bitty atrophied wing” of party…. Youthful, bouncy Rep. Bill Paxon (R., N.Y.), chairman of Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, told astonished reporters GOP can expect more gains in ‘96. (Over a third of Dems who won in ‘94 won by less than 55 per cent, compared to only 5 per cent of GOP victors.)… Next came prospective chairman of House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Thomas J. Bliley (R., Va.), who announced no more FDA-inspired inquisitions of tobacco-industry executives. Hearings run by Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.)—who represents Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Malibu and is stalking horse for FDA’s Dr. Strangelove, David Kessler—drew heavy mail protests for treatment of witnesses. Meanwhile, likely next chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jesse Helms (R., N.C.), said he just doesn’t know about continuing foreign-aid program and said U.S. should have invaded Cuba instead of Haiti…. Not to be outdone was Rep. Bill Archer (R., Tex.), new chairman of House Ways and Means Committee, who said that while the flat tax was very intriguing his real hope was to abolish the IRS and replace the income tax entirely. Striking a statesmanlike note of caution, Archer said this probably couldn’t be done in first 100 days of new Congress…. Newt Gingrich was everywhere; he told a Wednesday press conference that Clinton Dems were “countercultural McGoverniks” and “left-wing elitists” and followed up by announcing that all Great Society poverty programs would be looked at as candidates for chopping block. Finally, a happily dazed Bob Dole (R., Kan.) welcomed Democratic switcher Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.) to GOP ranks and smilingly reminded reporters that Gingrich had once called Dole too moderate and a “tax collector for the welfare state.”

New York Post media critic John Podhoretz hit ABC’s Turning Point with devastating broadside—headlined “Shame on You ABC”—for its Nov. 2 smear of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Hour-long pro—Anita Hill documentary never made elementary queries about assertions by anti-Thomas witnesses and declined even to interview investigative reporter David Brock, author of The Real Anita Hill. Mona Charen in Washington Times and Linda Chavez in USA Today also did columns unraveling pretensions to accuracy of Turning Point segment and of followup piece by ABC Nightline’s Nina Totenberg. Totenberg worked with liberal Senate aides on initial antiThomas smear for NPR and, after Thomas gained Senate approval, screamed obscenities at Sen. Alan Simpson (R., Wyo.) for defending the black conservative…. Later in week, ABC News chief Roone Arledge announced Turning Point was being cut back to one hour a week but did not mention Hill show and issued no apology…. Among conservative journalists hunt is on to find major domos behind this carefully orchestrated assault on Thomas, keyed to release of new book by Jane Mayer and Jill Abramson, Strange Justice. Besides ABC news executives and producers who risked network’s credibility, likely suspects include left-wing Washington lobby groups that supported Hill during hearings and hate Thomas for sticking with conservatives on the Court. Watch this space.

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Capitol culture shock as post-election press conferences by GOP leaders left D.C.’s media types as slackjawed as Japanese admirals after Midway. A triumphant Sen. Phil Gramm (R., Tex.), chairman of GOP Senatorial Campaign Committee, didn’t make usual post-election warm and fuzzy sounds about moderate colleagues but told press they were “this little ole bitty atrophied wing” of party…. Youthful, bouncy Rep. Bill Paxon (R., N.Y.), chairman of Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, told astonished reporters GOP can expect more gains in ‘96. (Over a third of Dems who won in ‘94 won by less than 55 per cent, compared to only 5 per cent of GOP victors.)… Next came prospective chairman of House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Thomas J. Bliley (R., Va.), who announced no more FDA-inspired inquisitions of tobacco-industry executives. Hearings run by Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.)—who represents Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Malibu and is stalking horse for FDA’s Dr. Strangelove, David Kessler—drew heavy mail protests for treatment of witnesses. Meanwhile, likely next chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jesse Helms (R., N.C.), said he just doesn’t know about continuing foreign-aid program and said U.S. should have invaded Cuba instead of Haiti…. Not to be outdone was Rep. Bill Archer (R., Tex.), new chairman of House Ways and Means Committee, who said that while the flat tax was very intriguing his real hope was to abolish the IRS and replace the income tax entirely. Striking a statesmanlike note of caution, Archer said this probably couldn’t be done in first 100 days of new Congress…. Newt Gingrich was everywhere; he told a Wednesday press conference that Clinton Dems were “countercultural McGoverniks” and “left-wing elitists” and followed up by announcing that all Great Society poverty programs would be looked at as candidates for chopping block. Finally, a happily dazed Bob Dole (R., Kan.) welcomed Democratic switcher Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.) to GOP ranks and smilingly reminded reporters that Gingrich had once called Dole too moderate and a “tax collector for the welfare state.”

New York Post media critic John Podhoretz hit ABC’s Turning Point with devastating broadside—headlined “Shame on You ABC”—for its Nov. 2 smear of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Hour-long pro—Anita Hill documentary never made elementary queries about assertions by anti-Thomas witnesses and declined even to interview investigative reporter David Brock, author of The Real Anita Hill. Mona Charen in Washington Times and Linda Chavez in USA Today also did columns unraveling pretensions to accuracy of Turning Point segment and of followup piece by ABC Nightline’s Nina Totenberg. Totenberg worked with liberal Senate aides on initial antiThomas smear for NPR and, after Thomas gained Senate approval, screamed obscenities at Sen. Alan Simpson (R., Wyo.) for defending the black conservative…. Later in week, ABC News chief Roone Arledge announced Turning Point was being cut back to one hour a week but did not mention Hill show and issued no apology…. Among conservative journalists hunt is on to find major domos behind this carefully orchestrated assault on Thomas, keyed to release of new book by Jane Mayer and Jill Abramson, Strange Justice. Besides ABC news executives and producers who risked network’s credibility, likely suspects include left-wing Washington lobby groups that supported Hill during hearings and hate Thomas for sticking with conservatives on the Court. Watch this space.