Sunday Shows

I'll update this periodically if and when anything particularly noteworthy politically is said on the Sunday shows.

I skipped the Santorum interview in favor of McConnell and Dodd, but I'll catch a clip of that very soon and see if he said anything important. As for "Fox News Sunday," though, here are some excerpts.

- McConnell was asked first about Frist's stem cell speech. He noted that "when Dr. Frist ... speaks on a medical issue, we all listen carefully." He said that the issue is "very complicated," with "both scientific and ethical issues." Wallace asked where he stood and whether he too would buck the president, and McConnell said that he's "still studying" the bill and that he would decide after the debate. He continued by saying that while Frist's support may make a difference, he thought Specter-Harkin already has the support of a majority of senators.

[Update: I'm not sure whether McConnell's "still studying" comment is a shift or if he has not taken a position on stem cell research in the past. In the only interview I've been able to find so far (here) where he's asked about the issue, he does not express a personal view. But I'm still poking around. More soon. -- 11:16 a.m.

More Update: Came across this article from the Cincinnati Post back in June, 2004, which discusses stem cell positions. Here's the relevant paragraph on McConnell: "Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican from Louisville, supports the president's decision and believes 'that we must balance our desire for scientific progress with the need to ensure that this research is conducted in a moral and ethical manner,' said his spokesman, Robert Steurer." That doesn't sound too far from Frist's position to me ... will McConnell join the Majority Leader in accepting Specter-Harkin? -- 11:44 a.m.]

- Wallace asked Dodd about stem cells next, and Dodd made the good point that the Senate ought to have dealt with the bill prior to recessing for August. He noted the "growing support" for the bill in the Senate and in the House, and said he's "not convinced there could be a successful veto" of the legislation (although how he intends to get that many more votes in the House was unclear). He said he recognized that this is a "difficult call" for some members but that he too was sure it has strong majority support.

- Dodd got a chance next to discuss the potential Bolton recess appointment, and he missed a tremendous opportunity to bring up the very serious new allegations against Bolton (that he withheld information from the Senate on his disclosure forms). Dodd just continued his months-long mantra of "Mr. Bolton's a bad choice here," noting the opposition to him from 15 former State Department officials. He said that recess-appointing Bolton would have a "negative impact" on the United Nations, calling the nominee "damaged goods." He "lacks credibility," said Dodd, and "doesn't have the confidence of the Congress."

Wallace broke in to ask if Bill Clinton's recess-appointed officials were "damaged goods," and at least for that Dodd had a decent response. He admitted that yes, some of Clinton's nominees probably were damaged goods, and that the "recess appointment process is being abused, by Democratic and Republican presidents." He noted the language of the Constitution, which seems to indicate that recess appointments are to be used when the vacancy occurs during a recess, rather than a bypass of the advice and consent provision. Recent presidents from both parties, Dodd said, have been abusing the process, and sending Bolton there will just be another example of that.

- McConnell, in response, said that "Bolton's been sort of twisting in the wind since March," that he's "exactly what the UN needs at this point," he'll "go up there and challenge the establishment." He said he had no problem with the recess appointment, since Bush deserves to have an ambassador "he believes is best to represent his administration at the UN."

- On to Roberts, albeit briefly ... Wallace asked McConnell about all the documents that have been handed over, and whether McConnell had seen anything in the record yet to indicate that Roberts is "out of the mainstream." Mitch used the opportunity to give a gratuitously slap at Democrats, saying that he viewed "mainstream" as "Louisville Kentucky, while the Democrats apparently view it as the east side of Manhattan." He said the Senate "clearly has enough information" to make a decision on Roberts, and that he expect's he'll be confirmed.

- Dodd replied, calling Roberts a "pretty good choice," a conservative with a "distinguished legal record, a distinguished academic record." But, he said, we need to come to understand Roberts' "views on basic values," and that's the process that's going to play out. "We need to remember this is a nomination, not a coronation," Dodd said, "that's why we have a nomination process." Dodd said he looked forward to the process moving forward, and noted if Roberts answers the questions, he hopes to be able to vote for him.

- McConnell and Dodd then agreed that Bush's Social Security plan is pretty much dead for this year, McConnell blaming it on Democrats having "dug in their heels," and Dodd noting "there are almost as many Republicans opposing" privatization as Democrats.

More soon, I'll be tuning in to "Face the Nation" shortly.

[Update: Decided to bump the "Face the Nation" discussion up to a new thread, here. -- 11:08 a.m.]