Unofficial Summary of the Rush Limbaugh Show for Thursday, October 20, 1994 by John Switzer This unofficial summary is copyright (c) 1994 by John Switzer. All Rights Reserved. These summaries are distributed on CompuServe and the Internet, and archived on CompuServe (DL9 of the ISSUES forum) and Internet (cathouse.org and grind.isca.uiowa.edu). The /pub/jrs directory at ftp.netcom.com contains the summaries for the past 30 days. Distribution to other electronic forums and bulletin boards is highly encouraged. Spelling and other corrections gratefully received. Please read the standard disclaimer which was included with the first summary for this month. In particular, please note that this summary is not approved or sanctioned by Rush Limbaugh or the EIB network, nor do I have any connection with them other than as a daily listener. ************************************************************* October 20, 1994 BRIEF SUMMARY OF TOPICS: Dr. Spock writes new book about family values which blames society for not giving enough money to single parents; Mary Matalin hosts Rush's show; Mary reads profile of Tony Coelho that was done in the Limbaugh Letter; Democrats say Coelho "soaked up all the PAC money in the world"; Coelho left Congress before ethics investigation was to begin; Coelho is attacking Reagan, the 80s, and the Republicans' Contract with America; Wall Street Journal views November elections as a political earthquake and revolution; President Clinton decides to "campaign" overseas instead of "helping" his Democratic colleagues; Rep. Bob Carr (D-MI) suffered a drop in the polls when Clinton campaigned for him; in appearance with Mario Cuomo, Clinton claims he is not used to applause; Cuomo claims the reason the press isn't defending Clinton is because Clinton wasn't beating his own drum; Republicans can make some major gains this November, especially in the South; Democrat Bill Wheeler claims to be a conservative, but he and his wife both have strong ties to Clinton; Democrats try to hide the fact they are Clinton clones and liberals; Republicans need to enunciate what they stand for; George McGovern warned in 1992 that Clinton was a Trojan Horse liberal; Mary talks to William Kristol; Tony Coelho thinks defending Clinton is a losing issue for Democrats; Mike Kelly examines Coelho and the Democrats in New Yorker article; Democrats claim the people are angry and in an anti- incumbent mood, but actually they are in an anti-liberal mood; conservative Republicans are doing well; Clinton administration is duplicating a Bush campaign mistake in thinking their problem is one of communications and not one of ideas; the people are glad Republicans blocked Clinton's health care plan; Democrats are saying they are for many of the things that are in the Republicans' Contract with America; Democrats asked leading question about the 80s in their poll; Democrats and press are claiming Republican contract is a sell-out to the rich that will hurt the middle class; caller would like to see government change its divorce policies so as to stop encouraging single parenthood; a lot of Republican candidates are from working class backgrounds; Democrats are praising how they're bringing feder money back to their districts, but the Republicans should point out that this was the constituents' money to begin with; people are tired of a federal government that takes their money and gives it back to them, after taking its cut first; Kennedy upset in Massachusetts would be a major one; government is the only institution which wasn't streamlined and restructured during the 80s; Mary talks to Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA); WSJ and Times Mirror polls show that Republicans will do well this year; Gingrich is worrying Democrats so much that Panetta, Coelho, and Schroeder have all attacked him; Democratic values are at odds with those of most Americans; the majority of Americans want what is in the Republican contract; Republican contract is in TV Guide, so that Americans can read and keep it until next year so as to hold the GOP accountable for their promises; Republicans are promising to change the way Congress does business, pledging to pass eight specific procedural reforms, such as open rules in Congress; if Democrats are going to attack the 80s, then they're also going to have to defend the Carter years that made the Reagan years possible; Americans feel positive about the 80s by a 49% to 20% margin; restoring Aristide will cost $1 billion - restoring democracy in Haiti would cost $40 billion; caller praises Rush and Mary for making Republicans confident; vast majority of Americans support term limits, the death penalty, and a balanced budget amendment; changing federal spending by only five cents on the dollar would balance the budget; electing a Republican Congress would send a strong message to Bill Clinton; it's not obstructionist to oppose those things the people don't want; Gingrich believes Republican chances to get a majority in the House are two to one this November; Mary talks with Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX); Democrats in Congress think progress is more bills passed, more taxes raised, more money spent, but Republicans are going to change this; liberals believe there is a government solution to every problem; Gramm thinks Republicans will win the Senate this year; Ted Kennedy is so desperate in his campaign that he's attacking his opponent on religious grounds; Senate could end up with 35 conservative Republicans this November; Gramm thinks both of President Bush's sons will be elected this year; Oklahoma Democrat runs racist TV ad against his black conservative opponent, J.C. Watts; caller asks why local Republican candidate is virtually invisible; Mary thinks that including the Republican Contract with America in TV Guide is a better approach then trying to sell it in a 30-second TV spot; Chicago Sun-Times endorses Dan Rostenkowski in spite of the paper's own in-depth investigations of his financial misdealings; even if Republicans don't win a clear majority in Congress, they will win a philosophical majority; Mary expects some of George Bush's health care reforms to be introduced in the Senate once Republicans control it; Mary says writing a book was hard enough, so a movie about her and James is out of the question; Mary talks with Rep. Dick Armey (R-TX); Democrats claim Republican contract will cost 1 trillion dollars, but in reality it will "cost" Democrats 1 trillion in increased spending; Republican balanced budget amendment would not include Social Security, but would allow government spending to grow by 3.2% instead of the Democrats' 5.4% figure, but Democrats think $700 billion worth of increased spending in five years is not enough; Democrats, not Republicans, have made and have proposed biggest cuts in Medicare; Republicans will cut taxes on Social Security recipients as well as raise the threshold of what recipients can earn without losing their benefits; 80s saw growth rates of 4.4% per year, as opposed to Clinton's 2.2%; Rep. Armey discusses his flat-tax proposal, H.R. 4585; Howard Baker lists three characteristics of a good President. LIMBAUGH WATCH October 20, 1994 - It's now day 639 (day 658 for the rich and the dead, and 19 days until the November elections) of "America Held Hostage" (aka the "Raw Deal" which has 823 days left) and 702 days after Bill Clinton's election, but Rush is still on the air with 659 radio affiliates (with more than 20 million listeners weekly world-wide), 250 TV affiliates (with a national rating of 3.7), and a newsletter with nearly 500,000 subscribers. His first book was on the NY Times hardback non-fiction best- seller list for 54 consecutive weeks, with 2.6 million copies sold, but fell off the list after Simon and Schuster stopped printing it. The paperback version of "The Way Things Ought To Be" was on the NY Times paperback non-fiction best-seller list for 28 weeks. Rush's second book, "See, I Told You So," was on the NY Times best-seller list for 16 weeks and has sold over 2.45 million copies. LEST WE FORGET On Thursday, October 22, 1992, the air hanged heavy over the Rush Limbaugh show as Rush started speaking: "Ah, let's get started - we may as well. Greetings to you, conversationalists, all across the fruited plan and welcome to yet another excursion in broadcast excellence. This is the Rush Limbaugh program coming to you, firmly ensconced behind the EIB microphones as I sit here, in the prestigious Attila the Hun Chair of the Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies. "I feel so bad today. I am . . . I actually have the shakes and I actually do not . . . do NOT want to do the show today. I wish I weren't here. I'm not at all up . . . I'm troubled, conflicted, a little down; rarely has it been the case that I have felt this toward my daily tasks, responsibilities. Normally this is one of the most fun things I do and I just don't have it today. Normally I can sweep these things aside. Normally I can pretend for three hours that they don't exist, or even incorporate them into the program and try to elevate myself out of the gloom I find myself to be in. "I'll tell you what it is - I just . . . see, I don't want to tell you, that's another thing! I don't want to say this . . . I feel unlike I have ever felt before. I feel like . . . normally there's nothing that I don't feel comfortable sharing with you. I can tell you anything, as you know. And I don't . . . it's the first time I have felt like making it up. It's the first time I've felt not . . . you know, just coming forward. "But I have no choice. You don't know the pressure I've been under. You people have no idea what it's like. You don't know - you have a number one best-selling book . . . . By the way, we made it again, I should be happy - sixth week in a row, number one, NY Times best-seller list. Found out at six o'clock this morning, they announced it for November 1st. Ought to be on top of the world, I ought to not care about this other stuff. "But, uh, you want to know something else? We just got the latest information on "Rush Limbaugh, the Television Show" - after four weeks in the new season, we are ahead of Arsenio Hall, David Letterman, and the Whoopi Goldberg show, which is going the opposite direction real fast. And uh, our demographics on that show are just astounding - number one syndicated show, late night syndicated show in the 25-54 demographics. "I mean I ought to be sitting here, uh, just trumpeting this stuff to you people, and I normally would . . . it just doesn't matter. It is . . . well, you'll hear how bad it is; maybe you'll understand it, maybe you won't, I don't know. "My friends, it's just this simple - I've changed my mind on the Presidential race. Uh, I, uh, I have no choice. I mean I have a choice, but I've made up my mind. I've been hoping, been holding out hope that there would be a massive rebound, I've been holding out hope that the President could pull this thing out, but it doesn't look like this will happen. "And, uh, I have my career to think about, and if the mood of this country is not where I am right now, then I'm the one who's going to have to change. And, uh, I have been challenged to have the courage to change, and so I have - I am here to tell you that I, today, understand the mood of the majority of the people in this country. "I, uh - <> would you please quit turning on the intercom in there and making sucking noises? It's distracting! They just . . . I'm sitting here, trying to share with you the heavy things that are preying on me, and I am getting an intercom and there's sucking noises in there. What was it you said that sounded like sucking noises? "I, uh no, I . . . I . . . no, I'm not getting into the gloom and doom. I'm getting into the gloom and doom about me - I can't tell you because this is just horrible! But I, ladies and gentlemen, here at 12 minutes after the hour on the 22nd of October am here to tell you that I have decided to endorse the candidacy of Bill Clinton for President.<> "No, I'm not crying, I'm just . . . talk about having no choice, talk about . . . <> It's the only way I think the country can really, truly be saved - not with Clinton. I don't think Clinton himself is going to be the instrument of revitalization by virtue of what he will do; it will be what he will cause to occur elsewhere. "And, uh, I don't know - I'm just . . . I'm . . . I wish I wouldn't have to . . . I would love to sit here and continue the charade of being for President Bush, but I can't, so there. I'm sure you understand that this has not been easy. I've had to weigh my thoughts very carefully, I've had to weigh this decision, I've thought about it a lot, I've talked about it a lot with a lot of people. I have not made this decision lightly. "So, now you see why I want to go home? Now you see . . . now you see why I don't want to be here? I don't know what I'm going to get. <> Let's take a commercial break a little early - I just don't feel like saying anything right now. Can we take a break here, Lo Bianco? Good, all right, and we'll be back in a minute." "Folks, here's my problem here - I just cannot continue to deny the truth as I have been trying. I have been trying to put the good on everything, but the truth just can't be swept under the rug anymore. This is in the paper, today - Americans employed by foreign-owned companies in the United States make 22% a month more in wages than the total US workforce in private jobs in 1990. "That's not good for America - if you work for a foreign company in the United States, you make more than if you worked for an American company. That's why we need change - these are the government's own numbers. The Labor Department yesterday said that the average paycheck for the 5.2% of American workers employed by foreign-owned companies totalled $2,543 a month in the final 1990 quarter, compared with $2,085 for employees at all companies in the United States. "So, you see, the situation needs fixing. We need the courage to change and we need to be able to face these problems rather than try to dress them up with things that are not true. Uh, I know, you've also heard this - uh, the number of people who have filed unemployment claims is down, and this is ostensibly the third consecutive week in a row that these numbers have gone down, but you know why this is? It's just because people have given up looking for work. The only reason fewer people are filing unemployment claims is because they've given up trying to find a job and so there are fewer people - it's just that simple. There aren't jobs to be had. "Uh, let's see, what else do I have? Let me just go to the phones . . . let's just do that, 'cause there's nothing here - it's all untrue - all this good stuff out here is just - I mean I have some funny stuff, but I don't feel funny." Camille from Brooklyn, NY was too surprised and shocked about Rush's endorsement of Clinton that she could only gasp and plead "But Clinton, that slimeball! How could you? Oh, my god, I just can't talk no more, I'm sorry . . . ."She then hung up, to which Rush sighed and said: "Hmmm. Well, that's just an indication of how tough it is for everybody. See, I knew this is the problem - what am I to do? Am I supposed to come in here and make it up? The charade . . . I just can't do that. You know, everyone has always said to me, they've always asked me `do you say what you think the audience wants to hear or do you speak from the heart?' Well, what do you think? I can't make it up, I'm not an actor." Mary Ellen from Vista, CA told Rush "you're up to something!" She thought perhaps he was trying to make a point. Rush replied by saying: "I've never done that. I have always - there have been times, like April Fools, when it's obvious when I said `raise taxes on the poor.' But I never . . . I have promised people, since this show has gotten so powerful, since this show has gotten so big, I have learned so much about the power of this microphone and the things you can make people believe. "And I've always promised I would never, ever use satire or parody about things I truly, passionately believe. I would never lie to people. I used to do it, it got me in trouble. The whole reason that I've got this thing following me around about the draft is that I tried to have some fun on this show one day making up a story about a member of my family paying off the draft board to get me out of it. The press was running around trying to see if it were true, and it taught me you can make people believe anything, and I'm never, ever going to misuse the power of this microphone." However, when Phyllis from the Bronx called to ask "Rush, what are you doing to us? I'm sick and tired of the liberals in this country who are pushing our button!", Rush said he was confused about what the heck she was talking about. Phyllis asked why Rush was backing Clinton, to which Rush replied "I am not! I never said that!" Phyllis insisted this was what Rush said, but he denied it again, saying "I did not! I did not say that!" Rush had no more patience with Phyllis, and he pounded the table in exasperation as he said: "Look, all I can tell you is that I'm tired of this. Everyone wants to look into my past. All anyone wants to do - it was 23 minutes ago. You keep talking about something that happened 23 minutes ago! It's irrelevant! Can't we move on to things that matter! Can't we talk about the things that . . . you keep talking about the things I said 23 minutes ago - it doesn't matter! I didn't say it, I was younger 23 minutes ago! Cut me some slack! We're trying to move forward, we've got things to do on this radio show and you want to talk about something that happened 23 minutes ago!" John from Dallas, TX then called to beg "you can't give up on Bush," to which Rush replied: "I have not given up on Bush. I am not down on Bush! What are you talking about? I didn't say anything like that! What are our affiliates doing out there with our show? I did not say that! I didn't say it! You keep wanting to talk about the past! Don't you know that it's the future that counts!" Suzette from Chicago, IL knew what Rush was up to - he was really doing a "Bill Clinton flip-flop." Rush sighed and commented "this is really sad . . . this is really pathetic." Suzette said she understood and knew that Rush had to deny what he was doing, and Rush replied "of course, I'm going to deny it. I didn't say it." He was disappointed that in this call all Suzette wanted to talk about was something that happened 45 minutes earlier. "I was younger then," Rush stated. "I would not do it any differently than I did it, but I didn't do it!" And when Jeanette from Arlington, VA wanted to talk about this subject, Rush erupted to say the following: "This is something I can't . . . now there are these questions about my character! You people are acting like you can't trust me. I don't know why, I cannot understand why you continue to want to bring up the past. All this show has been about is the issues, and I have told Bo Snerdley I don't know how many times get rid of these callers who want to talk about me! I am not the issue!" Rush said he was beginning to suspect that the Mutual Broadcasting System, along with Larry King, had concocted some sort of plot: "It's an attempt to discredit me! I can think of no other reason why this would happen. A lot of people in radio are scared and quaking in their boots at the profound success of this show, and they said that it would never happen and now they're coming out with all of this stuff I supposedly did in my past that's irrelevant. The issues! The issues, that's what made this show a success - talking about the issues! Now all of a sudden, something I said or something I said I would do . . . which I didn't even say!" George from Chicago, IL stated that his fax machine received a fax from the famous Father McSnerdley who wrote "if the listeners really knew what was said this morning, they would feel betrayed." Rush said he ran into Father McSnerdley once in an airport, but "he doesn't know me from a pile of coal." George asked if he should therefore discount McSnerdley's fax, and Rush sadly admitted that: "Obviously Father McSnerdley is demented. Father McSnerdley is getting old; he's a great American and a great guy, and he's done everything he can for our movement, but apparently his recollection of the facts is like everyone else's today! Can we move on? Can't we try to get along, folks? Maybe just head down the road? We've got things we've got to fix, we've got to concern ourselves with the things that matter. If anything has been established by virtue of the show today, it's how out of touch you people are." When EIB received a fax that accused Rush of "loathing the Republican party," he angrily denied the charge: "That's another thing, I have never, ever said! I have never said that I loathed the Republican party. Look, my friends, I am beginning to resent this! I have a long record of distinguished, proud, honorable service as your talk show host since 1984 - Sacramento, CA - eight years! Count 'em up! "Not one indiscretion, not one challenge to my character or credibility, and now I am faced with accusations that I said I was going to vote for Bill Clinton, and I never, ever said it, and you know I didn't say it! This is just a dirty tricks campaign on the part of some other talk show host, some other network out there to discredit me, and I'm not going to stand for it!" When Jean from Scarsdale, NY called, however, Rush admitted "if I could have that half-hour back, if I could do that half-hour again, I would change they way I said what I said, but I didn't say it. I did not come out for Clinton. I did not endorse Clinton. I didn't get anywhere near it. I said I could understand the people who are going to vote for him. Here, we'll play the tape now and put this to bed once and for all!" Rush replayed the tape, and his voice could be barely heard on a very scratchy recording: "I, ladies and gentlemen, here at 12 minutes after the hour on the 22nd of October am here to tell you that I have decided to endorse the candidacy of Bill Clinton for President. <> "No, I'm not crying, I'm just - talk about having no choice, talk about . . . <>. It's the only way I think the country can really, truly be saved." Rush therefore didn't understand what the controversy was all about - all he said was "I had decided," not that he had already done it or was going to do it; he was in the middle of making a decision. Rush was simply trying to say that he understood those who had decided that they would vote for Clinton. He simply was only in the process of making a decision, and he was amazed at how his audience could twist this around to infer that he is going to vote for Bill Clinton. Unfortunately, when the chairman and founder of the Excellence in Broadcasting Network called in to request tapes of the first half-hour of this show, the first part of tape was mysteriously missing. Rush was curious how this could happen since nobody at EIB had anything to hide, so he suspected that some liberals working at EIB had done some dirty work. Near the end of the show, Rush finally admitted that he was just making a point about character. To too many people, character was irrelevant because only the "issues" mattered, given that the US was "in such as crisis." Rush had tried to show how important character was, in every way he could, but still he couldn't reach some people. Thus, he decided to show just what would happen if said he was going to vote for Clinton and denied it. Rush was just a talk show host, but the EIB switchboards had lit up like a Christmas tree because of the outrage and despair Rush's trick had generated. And if character mattered this much for just a talk show host, how about the President? Rush recalled that about six months after his national show started, he was accused of draft dodging near the end of the show, so he sarcastically said his father had paid off the draft board and this was why he was never drafted. The show ended, but a lot of people missed the sarcasm and started calling Rush's family. Rush's father called and told him that people would never trust him again because "you've lied to them." Rush said that he was only kidding, but his father said this didn't matter - "don't you know why people listen to you?" he asked. "They trust you, son. They believe what you're saying and you've lied to them." Rush vividly recalled how his father venomously spat out the word "lied," and this made quite an impression on him; he learned a lesson then about the responsibility he has when sitting in front of a microphone. So again, if character and the truth matter with a talk show host, shouldn't they matter with a President? ******** There were other items in Rush's show on October 22, 1992: o For the second time in a month Hillary Clinton was interviewed by Cleveland's EIB affiliate WWWE, and once again she was asked about Rush. The first time Hillary was interviewed at WWWE, she said "you know, Rush Limbaugh has this great racket going where he says whatever he wants to say regardless of the facts, because it, you know, it makes news and it's controversial. I mean that's how he makes his living." During the second interview Lee Kirk of WWWE told her that she was "being attacked fairly regularly and with a lot of energy by Rush Limbaugh. What is your comment regarding Rush and his diatribe?" Hillary laughed and replied: "I don't listen to him, not at all. He's making his money by, you know, launching these kind of grenades. I admire him for being so commercially smart, but I think it's just part of his routine, and it's okay with me if that's what he wants to do." o A group upset about Sinead O'Connor's attack on the Pope collected a large number of her cassettes and CDs, dumped them in the middle of 6th Street in New York City, and ran over them with a steam roller, a fitting fate for someone who always sang flat. o Brenda Mendez, a young teacher in New York who was wounded in a shooting at her school the previous week, confessed that she paid $100 to a 17-year-old student to kill her. Mendez was depressed because she had multiple sclerosis and suffered a break-up of her marriage. She thus paid Lamar Goodwine to shoot her, but he only hit her in the shoulder. The Brooklyn district attorney hadn't decided whether charges would be brought against Mendez, and Goodwine was released on $1,000 bail. ******** MORNING UPDATE Mother and baby guru, Dr. Benjamin Spock, has written a new book, "A Better World for Our Children, Rebuilding American Family Values," which he promises will be his last. Hopefully so, Rush adds, because in the book, Dr. Spock blames society for awarding single mothers "brutally skimpy incomes," and then tries to claim that the absence of parental values can be cured with more money. Spock's book then warns that America is heading in the wrong direction, harming its children by doing so. Spock writes, "When I look at our society and look at the millions of children exposed to its toxicity, I am near despair." Rush admits he comes close to despair, too, but he can't be the only one to observe the irony of Spock's comments. After all, it was Spock's first book, "Baby and Child Care," published in 1946, which gave birth to the notion that strong parental discipline was harmful to kids. This theory, which was contrary to centuries of hard-learned experience, gained widespread acceptance throughout the country and the world, yet now, nearly 50 years later, Spock is despairing at a culture that is sorely lacking in discipline. Rush therefore has some advice for Dr. Spock - since he will now have a lot of time on his hands, he should go to a mirror and stare. It is in the mirror he'll find the reason for a lot of modern societal and family problems. It is in the mirror that Spock will learn why so many undisciplined kids and ineffective parents are helping society to come apart. <> FIRST HOUR Mary says hello to "dittoheads, loopsters, and Americans," honored to be subbing for "the man, the legend, the way of life" who's off with his wife in Paris. She pledges to keep Rush's vigil on Operation Restore Democracy alive and well during his absence, adding that she especially loves Rush's wife, Marta, who's loving, sweet, warm, and talented, not to mention beautiful and a great friend. Mary's guests today will include a "feast of fiscal conservatism," with nothing but the "first team": William Kristol, Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA), Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX), and Rep. Dick Armey (R-TX). All these "liberal backbreakers," Mary notes, have Ph.D.'s, two in economics, one in American history, and one in government. Before getting to these "generals on the frontline of freedom," Mary first wants to mention her father in Marysville, IN (one of what the Washington elite consider "fly-over states"), whom she talked with the last time she was guest host of the EIB Network. He won't be able to be on today's show, but Mary does want to read one of the letters he wrote her earlier this month. In his letter Mary's father first applauds her for the success of the book she and her husband wrote, and then mentions the article on Tony Coelho, new de facto head of the Democratic National Committee, that appeared in the Limbaugh Letter. Mary's father says that he has come to believe that the Democrats are finally finished, thanks to how the people are catching on to what the Democrats have been and still are doing in Washington. He then adds: "Actually, I feel sorry for James, if this is the best they can do to revamp the DNC. It's hard to be on the losing team, whose performance and record speaks for itself. Tell him to clear his conscience and switch sides, it's never too late to see the light. Actually, Reagan and I were Democrats at one time!" Mary notes that she's learned everything in life from her father: self-reliance, responsibility, initiative, and the fact that actions have consequences. He always told her that he knew she would get in trouble from time to time, but wasn't worried because she'd be able to deal with the consequences of her actions. One thing he always taught her was independence, because in the end, you can only depend on yourself and your family, so she owes him a lot. Mary next reads from the profile of Tony Coelho that appeared in a recent issue of the Limbaugh Letter: he currently raises cash for the Democrats and was brought back into the party apparatus to rescue Clinton's Presidency. From 1981 to 1986 he was the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, going after PAC contributions with a vengeance, hammering at Republican-leaning PACs, telling them that it was the Democrats who controlled the House. Coelho told the Los Angeles Times "we're going to be in the majority for a very long time, so it doesn't make good business sense to give to the Republicans." His own colleagues referred to him as the "guy who soaked up all the PAC money in the world," and this was going on even as the Democrats were accusing Republicans of being the fat cats. Coelho left Congress under a cloud of suspicion, after it was revealed he had purchased a $100,000 junk bond with the help of a California S&L executive. Coelho didn't report the bond either to Congress or the IRS, and he left Congress right before an official ethics inquiry was scheduled to be launched about him. Coelho claimed in the 1988 Democratic convention that his party would "fight the corporate cannibals on Wall Street," but then became a millionaire Vice President of the Wertheim Schroder Investment company; he's still a member of that company's board, telling the Washington Post that serving this company as well as the Democratic National Committee poses absolutely no conflict of interest. Coelho is important now because he's again become a power in the Democratic party, having helped move DNC Chairman David Wilhelm out of the way, and it's expected he'll be Clinton's 1996 campaign chairman. Coelho also devised the attack ads and "generic spots" attacking the 80s and the Republicans' Contract with America that are being aired nationwide right now. Plus, Coelho is quoted in today's Washington Post as attacking Newt Gingrich. Thus, Coelho's name will come up often during today's show which will focus on the November elections and the campaigns currently being run. These campaigns clearly show how differently the Republicans and Democrats view politics and Americans, and today's Wall Street Journal calls the current campaign season a "political earthquake" and "revolution" because, as Jeb Bush has said, the people think "it's time to rearrange our relationship with government." *BREAK* Mary notes that Rush was exactly right yesterday when he commented that Bill Clinton was choosing to go to the MidEast instead of campaigning for Democrats. Today's Washington Post has the headline "President Decides His Best Campaign Tour May be Overseas," and the paper notes that this is the first time in modern history a President is going overseas so near a major campaign. The reason for this is obvious - Clinton's own pollster Stanley Greenberg has noted that for every percentage point increase in Clinton's approval ratings means that the Democrats will lose two fewer seats in November. However, the corresponding fact is that Clinton's presence hurts the Democrats; when Clinton campaigned for Rep. Bob Carr (D-MI), Republican challenger Spencer Abraham actually went up in the polls. Phone Doug from Stockville, MS Doug says that the press is so stupid that it's putting stuff on the air that allows President Clinton to bash himself. On CNN this morning, Mario Cuomo introduced President Clinton to wild applause, and Clinton came on to say "this is something that I'm not used to in Washington." Mary cries crocodile tears for this poor President who seems to be such a victim. Doug adds that Cuomo then came up a bit later to say that the reason the press wasn't defending Clinton or promoting his record so much was because Clinton just wasn't going out to "beat his own drum." Mary finds this an incredible statement given that Clinton's is the most overexposed Presidency in Washington; there's nothing that happens in Clinton's administration which Clinton himself does not make a big to-do about. Mary notes that Republicans have a big opportunity to make some gains in the South, and she in particular is intrigued by the First District race in Mississippi, where Republican Roger Wickert is facing a Democrat, Bill Wheeler, who has strong ties to Bill Clinton. Wheeler claims to be a conservative, but he organized and campaigned for Clinton in 1992, and his wife was executive director for the Mississippi Clinton campaign and is now a political appointee working for Ron Brown in the Commerce Department. The Sierra Club considers Wheeler to be one of its top eight environmental allies, and he's taken over $150,000 in PAC contributors to Bill Clinton. The Democrats are out there, running away from Clinton, yet they are all coming from a "Clinton clone pot." Thus, Mary hopes that voters aren't fooled by their conservative talk and rhetoric. Doug thinks that Clinton is bashing himself so much on the air that Republicans don't need to really help him out in this. Mary says that she's going to talk about this with her guests today - Republicans don't need to bash Democrats but really focus on their Contract with America and what Republicans stand for. Doug agrees, and he just wishes that Republicans had a candidate with the values that Rush epitomizes so as to bring the U.S. back from the brink. Mary sadly notes Rush won't be able to hear Doug's kind words in Paris, but adds that her father used to tell her not to worry about losing one election because "there's nothing you can do about those guys in Washington anymore." However, since he's been listening to Rush, he, along with a lot of other conservatives have realized that they are not isolated or alone; they now know that they can band together and do something. With that in mind, Mary thus encourages everyone to get out and vote this November. As to Clinton's trip to New York yesterday, Mary notes Clinton has cancelled all his Midwest trips, but is determined to visit Massachusetts to help out Ted Kennedy. Mary recalls what George McGovern said during the 1992 Democratic convention - that Bill Clinton is a Trojan Horse, no matter what he says, he'll govern as a liberal. She thanks McGovern for making this point better than anyone else could. *BREAK* Mary welcomes William Kristol, former chief of staff first to Education Secretary William Bennett and then to Vice President Dan Quayle, and currently the chairman of Project for a Republican Future, a group which states that it is "committed to articulating and advancing a principled Republican agenda." She asks Bill about the memo his group released yesterday which quoted Tony Coelho as saying the following about the Republicans' Contract with America: "If Republicans hadn't done this, the whole conservation would still be Republicans going anti-Clinton and us defending Clinton, which is not a winning conversation for issue. Ideas are not the issue." Bill first remarks that he's having an easier time with this year's campaign because Mary's husband, James Carville, is not involved, adding that the Clinton administration seemed to started having a lot more problems when James married Mary and went off on their honeymoon. Mary adds that their relationship got a lot better once James left the White House. Bill tries to start a rumor by saying that James is talking with George Mitchell about mounting a primary challenge to Clinton in 1996, but Mary begs Bill not to say this as this would get James's relatives to start freaking out, creating in-law problems beyond belief. As to the memo which she just referenced, he asks what Coelho is talking about. Bill says the Coelho quote came from a story done by Mike Kelly for the New Yorker about the November elections; Kelly's essay makes the point that ideas do matter, but the quote from Coelho is how he admits that defending Clinton is not a winning issue for them. Bill notes that David Wilhelm, who was essentially removed as head of the DNC, was blamed for Clinton's problems, but this is absurd. The liberal Democratic spin about the elections is that the American people are angry and in a bad mood, without there being much good reason for it; the American electorate is viewed as being "grumpy" and determined to throw out all incumbents. However, as Bill's memo points out, the people aren't throwing out all incumbents - they're angry at Washington and the Democratic Congress, as well as President Clinton, but Republican incumbents are doing fairly well. In particular, Republican governors such as John Engler (R-MI) and Tommy Thompson (R-WI), who have been pursuing conservative policies, are going to win big this year. Gov. Bill Weld (R-MA) is also doing well, so Bill thinks the American people will reward good government, which means cutting the size of government and cutting back out of control welfare and social programs. The American people have just decided that they have had enough of big government liberalism. Mary notes that the Michael Kelly article also quotes Democrat Don Schweitzer as complaining that President Clinton is a "victim of this anger." The Democrats seem trapped into the belief that the Democrats in general and Clinton in particular are victims, who aren't getting the credit they deserve. Bill says this is why Clinton attacks Rush and other talk show hosts as the villains; he honestly thinks Rush is poisoning the minds of the people against the "truth" that Clinton is doing a great job. The Bush campaign made the same mistake that the Clinton administration is now making: thinking that the problem is one of communications, not of ideas or issues. Whenever politicians start attacking the communications apparatus, it's an indicator that they've lost touch with reality and are deceiving themselves. Mary observes that the Clinton administration first attacked Rush back when Republicans won two seats long held by Democrats in special elections earlier this year. The Democrats claimed the Republicans had won only because they were spreading a message of hate and fear, and when their health care plan failed, they accused Republicans of being obstructionists. Bill adds that the Democrats tried to run against the Republicans by blaming them for blocking the liberal agenda, but it turned out that the people were grateful to Republicans for this, which is why Clinton isn't talking much about health care anymore. Clinton is not too eager anymore to bring this subject up, nor are Democrats such as Bob Carr saying much about it. Carr was one of the original sponsors of the Clinton plan but is now trying to backtrack from his support of the Clinton plan, claiming he was just trying to be courteous to the President. Carr is even running ads that try to make the case he is an independent, someone separate from Clinton and the Democratic party; he even claims he supports the Balanced Budget Amendment, which Clinton attacked last week as part of his attack against the Republicans' Contract with America. Bill bets that most Democratic candidates are now saying they are for welfare reform, a balanced budget amendment, and term limits, all of which are part of the Republican contract; yet Coelho is determined to keep on attacking it, even though it's full of stuff most Americans support. Mary agrees, and hopes that listeners pin the Democrats down - what these guys are saying are not what they are going to do once they get in power. She asks Bill to hang on through the break so as to take some calls. *BREAK* Mary notes that the Democrats are attacking the 80s and Reagan years as part of their attack against the Republicans' Contract with America, evidently in the belief that there is some sort of lagging antipathy towards Ronald Reagan. The Democrats did a poll which they think proves this, but one of the questions they asked was: "[A Republican candidate] signed on to the Republican contract with their National Leadership in Washington, saying he would support more tax cuts for the wealthy and increase defense spending, paid for by cuts in Social Security and Medicare. That's the type of failed policies we saw for 12 years: helping the wealthy and special interests at the expense of the middle class. Do you approve?" Not surprisingly, this question was answering with a resounding no, and if this is the type of leading poll questions the Democrats are asking, it's not surprising why they are so out of touch with America. Bill says that the Democrats think the Republicans' Contract with America was something they could attack, but the people like what's in the contract. The Democrats thus resorted to cliches such as "tax cuts for the rich" and cutting Medicare and Social Security. The Washington press corps, such as Al Hunt, are really buying into this strategy, attacking the Republican contract as being a sell-out to the rich that will hurt the middle class. The Republicans, though, should stick to their guns and their issues, and most campaigns right now are being run on the issues, with Republicans and Democrats taking clear and opposing stands. Phone Sarah from Pittsfield, MA Sarah identifies with the Republican party, being a working class American, but she has some problems with how the Republican party ignores the issues that are important to her family. She'd thus like the GOP to start including certain issues that are important to blue collar Americans, such as preferential treatment to minorities or special interest groups. In particular, working class white males are competing with privileged women. Plus, as far as divorce is concerned, government always treats the woman as the victim, regardless of who's at fault for ending the marriage. This is helping to destroy the family and encouraging single parenthood. She thinks men should be acknowledged as having a role as a family's provider, instead of giving preference to women in employment and elsewhere. Mary notes that this is the antithesis of what the feminists believe and is why most American women don't agree with the feminist agenda. Bill notes that Bill Bennett recently called for new attitudes towards divorce; also, racial preferences are wrong, and while Affirmative Action in its original sense is valid, this doesn't mean giving preferences to certain groups, thereby dividing the country up into smaller and smaller pieces. Bill adds that a lot of Republican candidates are from working class backgrounds; Spence Abraham's father was a UAW member before opening up a small store, while his wife's parents were both UAW members. Gov. John Engler (R-MI) was a farmer and the first in his family to go to college, and it's clear that the Republican party is no longer a haven for upper middle-class WASPs. Mary agrees, and remarks that the current crop of Republican candidates come from a wide variety of backgrounds; there are fewer career politicians and lawyers, and they're raising their money one person at a time. She thanks Sarah for calling. *BREAK* Mary thanks Bill for coming in, and asks what he thinks Democrats will do and what Republicans should do. Bill says Democrats will launch incredibly nasty, mud-filled attacks against their opponents in a desperate attempt to save themselves; Gov. Lawton Chiles, for example, has launched an incredibly nasty campaign against Jeb Bush. Republicans, by contrast, should continue focusing on the issues, making it clear the differences that exist between the two parties. Mary asks Bill to hang on through the break. *BREAK* SECOND HOUR Mary says Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA) will be calling into the show soon, but until then will take calls with Bill. Phone Tom from Boston, MA Tom remarks he admires both Mary and Bill for keeping the debate on an intellectual level, and notes that many Democratic candidates are telling their constituents that they should be re-elected because they've brought money and jobs into their districts. Tom would like Republicans to point out that this money was the constituents' money to begin with, so why should Democrats be praised for taking people's money and then bringing it back to them, usually at 50 cents on the dollar? Mary says that this is one reason why voters are attracted to the idea of "citizen legislators," who aren't professional politicians looking to create programs that skim off the top. For example, the Department of Education dispenses money to schools across the country, but it takes its cut first. Bill notes that when he worked for Bill Bennett at the Department of Education, it administered 221 programs; attempts to cut these programs failed, which was unfortunate because most of these programs impose mandates and additional burdens on school districts, as opposed to helping them. As to whether the voters will buy into the argument that Democrats should be re-elected because they bring goodies back to their districts, it will be interesting to see if Ted Kennedy gets re-elected on this basis. Perhaps Massachusetts voters are tired of this and will actually break with tradition to elect a Republican, Mitt Romney. Bill notes he got his Ph.D. in Harvard, and was the token Republican there; the atmosphere in Massachusetts is decidedly liberal, so much so that when Bill voted there in 1984, he voted for what he thought was the Republican challenger to House Speaker Tip O'Neil. The next morning he found out, though, that there was no Republican running against the O'Neil; instead, Bill had actually voted for the Communist - this was the only choice available to the state's voters at the time. Thus given how liberal the state is, a Kennedy upset would send shockwaves through the liberal community. Tom says he hasn't heard many Republicans talk about this idea of the federal government taking money from the people and then returning only a portion of it. He thinks it could be a winning issue, and Mary agrees. Ronald Reagan used to say that if the people had to end up paying their taxes as they did their other bills each month - by writing a check - the voters would quickly get angry enough to revolt. People, though, are coming to understand just how much they pay in taxes and just how inefficient government is in using that money. Republicans are not anti-government as much as they for limiting government; there are some things only the federal government can do, but it's gone way beyond that point today. Bill agrees, saying that many things should be given back to the states, local communities, and families; this is the Republican message and people are responding well to it. Tom says that local decision-makers tend to make the best decisions, and decentralizing government down to the local level would be a true reinventing of government. Mary says this is only basic common sense - during the 80s businesses all restructured and became more streamlined, improving their competitive abilities. The only institution in modern America that hasn't streamlined and become leaner and meaner is government. Bill says the one big failure of the Reagan administration was that it wasn't able to cut government, streamline it, putting more authority back into local hands. This will be the Republicans' goal now, and a major issue in both the 1994 and 1996 elections. Mary adds that the "Reagan deficits" can't be blamed on Reagan's tax cuts; federal revenues actually increased because of those tax cuts. Instead, the spending is to blame for the deficits, and this spending and appropriations have been controlled by the Democrats for as long as Mary has been alive. She thanks Bill for coming by, and notes that after the break she'll be talking to the "next Speaker of the House," Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA). *BREAK* Phone Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA) from Augusta, GA Mary welcomes the Republican House Minority Whip to the show, a man whom Newsweek called a "revolutionary centrist," whom the NY Times described as a "thoughtful analyst who gushes with ideas," and whom today's Washington Post says is the Republican that Democrats love to hate. Gingrich also runs GOPAC, which supports local Republican candidates, as well as the Progress and Freedom Foundation, not to mention hosting the cable-TV "Progress Report" program and teaching a nationally broadcast college course titled "Renewing American Civilization." Mary confidently predicts that Gingrich will be the first Republican House Speaker since 1953, the year she was born. Rep. Gingrich thanks her for having him on the show, saying he's in Augusta to campaign for Charlie Norwood, and he for one is enthused about the Wall Street Journal and Times Mirror polls that show Republicans to be doing so extraordinarily well. Mary notes that Rep. Gingrich has visited at least 100 districts this year, and he confidently predicted a Republican-controlled Congress earlier this year. Mary at first thought that was ridiculous, but now believes it will happen. The Democrats must be fearful of this, too, given that Leon Panetta attacked Gingrich in yesterday's USA Today and Tony Coelho is attacking him in today's Washington Post. Patricia Schroeder has also attacked him, so Mary asks what's going on. Rep. Gingrich says these attacks are to be expected, given that Republicans want to really change Washington, replacing the out- of-touch power structure in addition to those who are making their living off the current "pork farm." The liberals are scared to death about this, which is why they're going hysterical about the latest poll numbers. The liberals have savaged the Republicans' Contract with America, but every time they attack the contract, the better the polls get for Republicans. Mary notes that the liberals are masters at attack politics, especially in singling out individuals and taking things out of context. In particular, the Democrats have successfully portrayed the Republican contract as an attack against Democrats, portraying them as enemy of the American people. Rep. Gingrich says he doesn't think the Democrats of America are a threat, but the values portrayed by those Democrats in charge of America certainly are. The country has a Surgeon General who's openly anti-Catholic, Rep. Vic Fazio has attacked Protestant activities, Joe Kennedy has attacked his opponent for being a Mormon. President Clinton has excelled at creating politics based on class warfare, and there are deep fears among the people which the administration has worked hard to exploit. Most Americans want term limits, an effective death penalty, a balanced budget amendment, Congress to obey its own laws, sensible tax policies that don't punish people for getting married or senior citizens for working. This is what the Republican contract does, and the Democrats are attacking it precisely because the Republicans have listed what Americans want from their government. Mary adds that when the Democrats attack Gingrich personally, they are really trying to divert attention, so as to avoid discussing the issues and the Republican contract. When Republicans gathered at Capitol Hill on September 27th, they were attacked for coming up with an impossible contract that can't be done. Yet Republicans are holding themselves accountable for this contract. Rep. Gingrich agrees - the new TV Guide has a full page ad which lists the Republican contract; this ad can be torn out and kept until the new Congress is sworn in on January 4th. If Republicans control the Congress, then for every day of the next 100 days the contract will be featured in every opening speech, as Republicans work to achieve the goals stated in this contract. This is a revolutionary approach to government and shows the dedication of the Republicans to achieving the contract's goals. Mary adds that the Republicans are issuing a challenge to the voters - if Republicans don't measure up to the promises of the contract, then the voters should throw them out. Rep. Gingrich points out that many Democrats are urging the voters not to hold them accountable for their promises of two years ago; in contrast, however, the Republican contract listed in TV Guide has a check-off box for each item, so that the voters can make sure Republicans hold to their promise. What Republicans are promising is to bring ten major bills to a final vote, as well as to pass eight major congressional reforms, such as requiring Congress to abide by the same laws it passes for everyone else. Republicans are not promising, though, that they can pass all ten of the bills listed in the contract, given that some of them are very controversial. However, Republicans are committing themselves to debate these bills and to bring them to a vote in Congress, allowing the people to express their will about these issues well in advance. This will be a major change from the past, given that the Democrats haven't even been willing to discuss most of these issues. By Easter every American will know where each member of their Congress stands on term limits, the death penalty, and the balanced budget amendment. Americans can use this information to decide whom they want to hire and fire by 1996. Mary notes this does not sound that revolutionary, but the modern Congress really hasn't had truly open debate for years. She asks Rep. Gingrich to hang on through the break to take some phone calls. *BREAK* Phone Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA) from Augusta, GA (continued) Mary notes that the Republicans can't promise they'll pass any legislation, but they can promise to change the way that Congress does business. Rep. Gingrich agrees, pointing out that there are a number of procedural votes on the first day of a new Congress that are typically along party lines, so if the Republicans have a majority, they can guarantee they can cut the number of congressional committees. They can also guarantee they can cut the number of congressional committee staffers by one third, as well as to change the rules of the House so that all bills will be available in electronic form, so that Americans with home computers can get copies of them easily. With that simple change, the average American will be able to get information that used to be available only to Washington insiders. In addition to this, Republicans can guarantee they will bring to the floor of Congress ten major bills, including controversial things such as litigation and malpractice reform. Of course, the trial lawyers will oppose this, so getting it passed will be a real challenge; however, Republicans have pledged to keep the debate in the open by going to open rules, such as those used under Sam Rayburn 30 years ago - legislators would be able to offer amendments and legislate on the House floor, as opposed to doing it in closed committees. The American people would be able to see this legislation as its made, out in the open on CSPAN. Currently some issues, such as term limits, can't even be debated or introduced onto the House floor because the current Speaker of the House won't allow them. The Democrats use the closed rule to bring to the House floor only the versions of bills that they support; this is how they kept control within the House and how they have thwarted the public will. There are many issues which the people want, but which the liberal Democrats don't, so by the use of the closed rule, the Democratic majority can keep these issues off the House floor, sparing their members from having to even vote on them. This sort of approach to government is not that surprising, given that House Speaker Tom Foley has sued his own constituents to overturn their vote on term limits. Mary adds that this lawsuit also explains why Foley got only 35% of the primary vote. Phone Steve from New Jersey Steve first comments that he agrees ideas are important, and mainstream America is seeing that Clinton has surrounded himself with a lot of liberals; Clinton has attracted a lot of heat to the left, acting like a huge lighthouse that illuminates what the left is doing today. As to the Republicans' Contract with America, Steve notes the Democrats are using it as an excuse to attack the Reagan years. Steve has no problem defending the Reagan years, especially since if the Democrats are going to attack the 80s, they'll have to bring up the Carter years, which were the reason Reagan got elected in the first place. Jimmy Carter destroyed the country - its economy, its military, its foreign policy - to such a point that Reagan was elected in a landslide, turning things around. Thus, he'd encourage Republicans to engage the debate about the 80s and Reagan years, pointing out that Reagan was elected because of the Carter years. Rep. Gingrich notes that even the administration's own polls show that people feel positive to the 80s by a 49 to 20 percent margin. Thus, it's pretty stupid to fight against Reagan, except for the fact that the Democrats have no alternative - they can't fight for Clinton or his policies, so they are floundering around in desperation, trying to find something they can latch onto. It's a good point, though, to recall the Carter years, which were typified by a "malaise," 22% interest rates, 13% inflation, the hostage crisis, etc. And Rep. Gingrich is willing to compare Reagan's values against Clinton's any day of the week. Mary agrees the Democrats have taken on a risky strategy in this, and Clinton has basically given up on campaigning by going overseas. The administration is hoping that if Clinton goes overseas his poll numbers will go up, saving a few Democratic seats in Congress. However, Clinton has yet to get any lasting bumps from his foreign policy endeavors; in fact, what Clinton thinks are his successes, such as his billion-dollar excursion into Haiti, are not well received by the American people. Gingrich notes that the U.S. will spend about $1 billion to restore Aristide to power, but to restore democracy there will cost about $40 billion. Mary asks if the Congress is paying off Cedras, and Rep. Gingrich says that the U.S. did fly Raoul Cedras, described as a tyrant by Clinton only last month, out of Haiti on an American military plane; the U.S. also released about $75 million in frozen bank accounts for the use by Cedras and his junta, plus the U.S. is reportedly even paying rent for their buildings in Haiti. Rep. Gingrich thinks most Americans will be outraged at how the Clinton administration is as spendthrift overseas as in the U.S. Mary agrees, but notes that Clinton must think otherwise since the Washington Post has reported that he's decided to become the first President in modern history to go an overseas tour during a major election period. Phone Betsy from California Betsy remarks that the media has been changed a lot by people like Rush and Mary; their talk shows have changed the political debate in America. When Betsy was growing up, she learned that Republicans should keep their mouths shut when they disagree with the Democrats, but that's not the case now. Betsy notes that Clinton won the 1992 election with less of a vote than what Michael Dukakis got in 1988, but a year ago she wouldn't have dared to criticize him openly. Thanks to shows such as Mary's "Equal Time" and Rush's EIB Network, however, Betsy is now not afraid to voice her opinion. She thinks many Ross Perot voters will see how badly Clinton is doing, and will start shifting their vote to Republicans. Mary notes that Rep. Newt Gingrich has been exploring alternative means of communications long before others in the Republican party. As to Perot, Mary notes that many of the things in the Republican contract are favored by a broad majority of Americans. Rep. Gingrich agrees, pointing out that a stronger death penalty, for example, is supported by 82% of Americans; term limits is supported by 78%, and a balanced budget amendment is even more popular. The reason Republicans put their contract in TV Guide is precisely because it is the most widely distributed publication in America, so it will get out to the Perot voters and others who usually aren't tuned into the normal political channels. These people will be able to now see for themselves in writing what issues Republicans think are important. The ad in TV Guide is not negative, it doesn't attack Bill Clinton, but rather states what Republicans think are important and what should be discussed in Congress. More than 300 Republicans have come together to offer a positive package of ten bills and eight reforms, something which is a major change from politics as usual. The latest polling numbers show that most Americans are in favor of this, but the elitists in Washington hate it, preferring that they be the ones to tell Americans what they believe. Mary says that many Democrats are talking the talk during campaign time - telling the voters what they want to hear - but when they get to Washington, they just don't walk the walk. Rep. Gingrich thinks the baby-boomers are mature enough not to be suckered in by the liberal Democrats again and to evaluate the contract on its own terms, without believing the mischaracterizations being told of it. Republicans have already said that Social Security is off the table, so it will not be an issue. What Republicans want are genuine spending cuts, while Democrats are talking about spending $700 billion more than the country has over the next five years, simply because they don't have the discipline necessary to control spending. Changing federal spending by only five cents on the dollar would balance the budget. Mary asks Rep. Gingrich to hang on through the break. *BREAK* Phone Newt Gingrich from Augusta, GA (continued) Phone Larry from Youngstown, OH Larry has a question about the Republicans' Contract with America, which has some parts he agrees with: if Republicans propose things which don't get passed, won't this result in government gridlock, as in the past? Rep. Gingrich agrees, but says that the signal that will be sent to Washington this November will be very important. There are undoubtedly many issues on which Clinton and the Republicans can agree, and on those that they don't, Republicans might have to try to override a Presidential veto. However, electing Republicans this November will send a signal that Americans want to end the failed welfare and social policies of the past 40 years, that they want tough crime measures, a strong death penalty. If the Democrats oppose such things, they will be seen as the obstructionists who are opposing the popular will. Mary notes that the fallacy of the Democrats' obstructionist argument is that Republicans are obstructing those things Americans don't want; Republicans instead are working for those things the electorate has said it wants. In fact, Republicans helped Clinton get NAFTA. Rep. Gingrich agrees, but notes that the elites in Washington just don't get it - when you stop something the elites want but the people don't, they call that obstructionism; however, true obstructionism is blocking the people's will so as to pursue the elite's goals. The American people this November will be able to send a message to Washington about whether they want the things that Republicans are talking about; the average American will be glad to have a Republican Congress that wants to do the things that the people want. It's very revealing that Republicans have a contract in print in TV Guide, which people can tear off and keep for January 4th, so as to hold Republicans accountable for their promises. Rep. Gingrich, though, doesn't know of any Democrats who have a contract or who are willing to state what they believe in, because if they campaign on what they truly believe, they're going to lose. Mary agrees, and notes that she's been talking about the Wickert race because it shows the kind of gains Republicans might get this November, especially in the South, so she'd like to hear Rep. Gingrich's predictions. Rep. Gingrich says that he's been predicting a gain from 25 to 75 seats, but thinks the odds are two to one that the Republicans will get a majority in the House this November, and he's looking forwards to the elections next month. Mary thanks him for calling and urges him to keep up the good work. *BREAK* Mary has ten seconds left to say that two Texas Republicans, Senator Phil Gramm and Rep. Dick Armey will be her guests next hour. *BREAK* THIRD HOUR Phone Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX) from TX Mary welcomes Senator Gramm to the show, noting he was first elected to Congress as a Democrat in 1978, and re-elected as a Democrat until 1982, when the Democratic party stripped him of his House budget committee seat in retaliation for his co- authoring of the Reagan budget platform. Gramm then ran for re- election as a Republican, then running for the Senate in 1984 and 1990, both times with strong popular support throughout the state. Mary first notes that her prayers are with the Texans suffering from the flooding and next mentions Tony Coelho who's been attacking the Republicans' contract and the Reagan years; however, one of the first attacks Coelho made against the Republicans this year was that they were obstructionists, but Gramm pointedly stated on CSPAN that he was proud to be an obstructionist. Senator Gramm points out that it's only in Washington where progress is defined in a single-dimensional manner: more bills being passed, more taxes being raised, more money being spent by Congress, and more limitations on people's freedoms. President Clinton has asked Republicans to support his plan for more government, higher taxes on Social Security, gasoline, and business, socialized medicine, U.N. control of American military forces, overturning minimum mandatory sentences for drug dealers, and the list goes on. Senator Gramm has simply said no to all this things, as have most Americans, in the belief that progress is really cutting taxes, reducing bureaucracy, cutting spending, and expanding freedom by limiting government. Mary agrees - the goal should be to "rearrange our relationship with government," but liberals believe that there is a government solution to every problem, so their measure of success is how much legislation they can pass. Senator Gramm agrees, and notes that nearly every American will agree that America has for most of its life had unlimited opportunity with limited government, but for the past 40 years the Congress has been working to reverse this, increasing the size and power and scope of government. Americans are realizing that for 40 years, the government has responded to every problem by asking Americans to give up not just more money but more of their freedoms. The American people are asking for their freedom, their money, and their country back, and this is why there will be a Republican majority in the Senate and a huge increase in the House; the people want to elect people who will honestly change government. Mary notes that Senator Gramm is the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee which is working to break the Democratic control of the Senate. Senator Gramm says he's even now heading towards Nebraska and Montana to help Republicans there, and he's convinced Republicans will win the Senate this year. Republicans will win the seat being vacated by George Mitchell in Maine, and have a good chance to oust Senator Kennedy in Massachusetts. Kennedy is so desperate that he's attacking someone on the basis of his religion. Had any Republican made the religion of his opponent an issue, Senator Mitchell would denounce him, and Mary notes that Kennedy's attacks against Mitt Romney are ironic, given that JFK himself suffered religious-based attacks in the 1960 Presidential campaign. Kennedy's actions show how desperate the Democrats are becoming. The Republicans are running strong in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, winning in Ohio, beginning to win in Michigan, ahead in Virginia, and giving Senator Jim Sasser (D-TN) a real race in Tennessee. The Nebraska race looks good, as does the one in Arizona; Feinstein and Huffington are neck and neck in California, while Republicans are taking the lead in Oklahoma. There is a real chance this year to increase the number of conservative Republicans from the current number of 20 to maybe 35; this will mean that Congress will really get to vote on real welfare reform, the balanced budget amendment, and to reaffirm Americans' private property rights. The Congress will be able to vote on letting the people keep more of their own money to spend as they, not government, see fit. Mary says that it's encouraging to hear that there is a real revolution going on in the 1994 congressional races, and Senator Gramm notes that the country is debating issues that weren't even considered in 1980. There are actually candidates talking about cutting government spending and making government smaller, so as to produce more freedom. Mary asks about George W. Bush's campaign against Governor Ann Richards (D-TX), and Senator Gramm says that Bush is running a good campaign based on the issues, while Richards is trying to run a name-calling campaign. It's a close race right now, but Senator Gramm thinks Texans will elect Bush as governor, just as Floridians will elect his brother Jeb Bush to replace Governor Lawton Chiles. Senator Gramm notes that it will have to be a vindication for President Bush to have his two sons run for office and win this November. Mary notes that President Bush has said he's quite proud that his sons have not let the press attacks against him in 1992 deter them from running for office this year. Mary thanks Senator Gramm for calling, and the Senator notes that Rush is very brave to let Mary take his place today. "The people may not want him back!" he exclaims, but Mary says this is not something Rush has to be worried about and thanks him again for being on the show. *BREAK* Mary says she's really being irked by how Oklahoma Democrat David Perriman is running a TV ad that contrasts what he did as a teenager with what Republican J.C. Watts was doing. Perriman is shown with a prize pig, but Watts, a black conservative, is shown in a football jersey with beads and an Afro haircut. Republicans have denounced this ad, saying it is designed to exploit stereotypical views of blacks, but J.C. Watts is not just a black athlete; he's also the University of Oklahoma quarterback who led the Sooners to consecutive championships and Orange Bowl victories. He was voted the Most Valuable Player in both Orange Bowl games in 1980 and 1981, and was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame in 1992. Watts is a successful, committed, hard-working man who made history in defeating a nine-term Democratic incumbent for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, where he's served with distinction. Watts is also the first black nominee for state-wide office in Oklahoma history, and he's a committed spokesman for many, many notable groups. Watts is a proud black conservative, who's been savaged by Perriman's racist and disgusting ad, so she hopes that Perriman pays for his ad by losing his race. Phone Shirley from Indiana Shirley asks how involved the Republican National Committee gets involved with state and local races, given that in her local race Republicans seem to have conceded the race to the Democrat. Mary says that the support between the national, state, and local party committees varies from state to state, but most of the power is left to the state and country organizations. Shirley doesn't understand why the Republicans aren't putting up more of a battle in her local race; nobody even seems to know who the Republican is. Mary says the national organization can't directly help in local races, except for a maximum of $5,000 in direct cash contributions. What might happen is that some generic spots are put together that local candidates can use. Shirley says she called the local Republican party, and they told her that she should be patient. However, it seems to her that the Republican candidate is just a stealth candidate, virtually invisible. Mary recalls that in 1990 the GOP tried some old techniques, such as going door-to-door, and these candidates had a lot higher turnout for them. Shirley, though, says the local Republican isn't even doing this and the local party said this wouldn't help in her area. Mary finds that hard to believe since door-to-door always helps, given that the people want to see whom they're sending to Washington. Shirley agrees, but this guy isn't getting any mention in the press or elsewhere at all. Mary again suggests going door-to-door as a way to turn that around and thanks Shirley for calling. Phone Dick from Houston, TX Dick says he's been reading a lot in the papers about the Republican Contract with America, but most of the coverage is inaccurate and incomplete. He'd thus like to see the Republican party do more to inform the public about this contract. Mary says that Republicans have put a copy of the contract in this week's TV Guide, so that people can study it and come to their own conclusions about it. She actually prefers this approach as opposed to trying to shoe-horn the contract into a 30-second spot. The major media, though, claims that the contract's numbers don't line up, but as Rep. Gingrich said, changing federal spending by five cents on the dollar would balance the budget. Rep. Dick Armey (R-TX) was the one who came up with those figures, and Mary will be talking to him after the break. *BREAK* Items o Mary hasn't been able to get Rep. Armey on the phones yet, so she mentions that Tony Snow will be the guest host for the show tomorrow, so perhaps Rep. Armey will be able to talk with him tomorrow if he can't get in today. o Rush earlier this week talked about how the mainstream media is attacking the voters for being what's wrong with Washington, but what's really wrong is things such as the Chicago Sun-Time's endorsement of Dan Rostenkowski. The Sun-Times was relentless in its investigation of Rostenkowski's financial misdealings, but it nevertheless has endorsed Rostenkowski, who's been indicted on 17 counts, because "even though he is accused of ripping off taxpayers, he knows how to get legislation through a gridlocked Congress and more importantly, his opponent opposes gun control, abortion rights, and many important federal programs. Rostenkowski knows how to deliver federal dollars to Chicago." Yet this same media claims it's the people who have it all wrong. Phone Mike from Connecticut Mike asks if the Republicans have a real chance of winning a majority in the House, and Mary replies that she tends to be more pessimistic than others, but even she is beginning to think that the current elections are something unique - there's a literal revolution going on, and an upheaval seems to be in the works this November. The difference between the philosophies espoused by Republicans and Democrats is clear, and Mary finds it hard to believe that the electorate would ignore this. There isn't an anti-incumbent fervor present, but rather an anti-liberal feeling. However, even if Republicans don't get a clear majority in the House, Republicans will have enough seats in both chambers to have a de factor philosophical control in Congress. Mike says the silent majority has awoken, which is a great thing. Mary points out that those in Washington are so arrogant and cynical that they think the people are ignorant and ill-informed, but nothing could be further from the truth. Mike asks about what would happen to health care if Republicans win the Senate. Mary notes that George Bush had a health care proposal which included insurance reforms about pre-existing conditions and portability, malpractice and tort reforms, etc. These are the kinds of reforms which Republicans will introduce and which are likely to be passed if only President Clinton goes along with them. However, President Clinton has pledged his goal is universal coverage, but if he does veto any bills without that provision as he's promised, then he will be the true obstructionist. These are needed reforms, especially since insurance costs for malpractice are driving up costs, but it is unknown whether Democrats will support them. Mike asks if there is any truth to the rumor that a movie is in the works about Mary's and her husband's life together. Mary says they are getting offers for this, but they've already agreed between themselves that they had one and only one book inside them, and they told it in "All's Fair." Mary wants to keep doing politics and her show, but other than that wants to go back to her anonymous life. She's glad she wrote her book, but is now ready to get off the book tour trail, and the thought of any movie just makes her sick. Besides, she can't think of anyone demonic enough to play her husband James. She thanks Mike for calling and hopes he votes for Republican John Rowland for governor. *BREAK* Phone Rep. Dick Armey (R-TX) Mary welcomes Rep. Armey to the show, noting he's got a Ph.D. in economics and was teaching economics when he decided he could handle the economy better than those in Congress. He is the epitome of the free-market, pro-growth, fiscal conservative, and Mary is certain he'll end up being the House Majority Leader in the 104th Congress. She asks him about the abuse Democrats are giving to the Republican Contract with America. Rep. Armey says it's been amusing to watch these guys attack something they haven't read. There are no spending increases in the contract, and it's ridiculous to claim that the contract will "cost" the country 1 trillion dollars; however, they came up with this figure even before the contract was even finished. He notes that the Democrats are claiming that a balanced budget amendment will "cost" a trillion dollars, but this really means that there will be a trillion dollars less growth in federal spending, based on the current Clinton budget proposals. Thus, in one sense the Democrats are right - the balanced budget amendment will cost the Democrats a trillion dollars worth of growth in the deficit and budget, which is its whole purpose - to stop their out of control spending. Mary asks how anyone can claim a balanced budget amendment will lead to higher deficits, and Rep. Armey agrees this is counter- intuitive. The proposal made by Republicans would take Social Security off the table, keeping it as the separate trust fund it is, and then the Democrats' budgets would be cut one nickel for every dollar. Thus, instead of the government growing by the 5.4% per year that the Democrats want, it'd grow by only 3.2%, which means the Democrats' "trillion dollar cut" really refers to how spending will grow by only $700 billion over the next five years instead of the $1.5 trillion the Democrats want. The Democrats therefore think a growth of $700 billion over five years is some kind of agonizing pain, and as is typical they think the pain should be shared among everyone but government. Mary agrees this would be funny if it weren't so sad, and asks about the Democrats' claims that Republicans will cut Medicare. Rep. Armey points out that the Democrats made the biggest cuts in Medicare's history with Clinton's 1993 budget, plus they were planning in $600 billion cuts with Clinton's health care plan. The Republicans' contract, though, makes no cuts in Medicare at all; the only thing Republicans want to do with Social Security and Medicare is to cut the tax increase that the Democrats implemented on Social Security recipients in 1993, as well as raising the amount of money recipients can make without losing their benefits. Republicans want to raise the threshold amount from $11,000 to $30,000, which means working recipients will keep more, not less, of their benefits. Mary adds that the Democrats have also charged that the contract will "throw us back to the 80s when we lost jobs and weakened our country." Rep. Armey says that the average growth rate during the 80s was 4.4%, compared to Clinton's growth rate of 2.2%; Republicans created 19 million new jobs during the 80s, and the average salary of those jobs was higher than the average that existed in 1980. Those who began the 80s in the lowest one-fifth of income distribution had a statistically greater change of ending the 80s in the top one-fifth than in remaining in the bottom group. And finally, charitable voluntary giving by Americans more than doubled, reaching its highest levels in 1989. Now, though, after the Democrats' 1990 tax increases and Clinton's 1993 tax increases, charitable giving has fallen sharply, and as happened in the 70s, the rich are indeed getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer. In the 80s, though, everyone got richer. Rep. Armey can't believe anyone would be so foolish as to ask Americans to choose between the policies of Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, especially in the context of foreign policy. Reagan's foreign policy destroyed the "evil empire" of the Soviet Union, while Clinton's foreign policy makes Carter's look good. Phone Pat from Ohio Pat says she wrote Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) recently about H.R. 4585, the Freedom and Fairness Restoration Act that would implement a flat tax, asking about whether it's a good idea to bill the people on a monthly basis for their taxes, as opposed to withholding it. Rep. Armey says the whole point of this is so that Americans each month see just how much they are paying in taxes; if people have to write a check each month, they're going to keep a closer track on just how much is taken from them and just how much the government is growing off it. Rep. Armey wants every American to ask each month whether they are getting their money's worth from their government. With the simple calculations inherent in a flat tax, it wouldn't be hard for most Americans to be able to sit down each month and write out their check to the U.S. government. Rep. Armey thinks the American people are fair and willing to pay their fair share, knowing that everyone else will, too, and the underground economy will shrivel up. He notes he is willing to trust the American people, instead of relying on the guile of the federal government. Mary notes that the bill in question was authored by Rep. Armey and thanks him for being on the show. *BREAK* Mary attended a two-day seminar at the Reagan Library about what is wrong with American politics. Senator Howard Baker ended the seminar, however, by giving a short talk about what is right with politics, and he made three points about what makes a good President. o A good President needs to know who he is because he is the example of leadership, not only for America but the entire free world. o A good President needs to know what he believes in; he must have a philosophy, but not one that is poll driven, but his own philosophy, from his heart. o A good President needs to know where he wants to go and where he wants to take the nation; all those around him will know that. Mary recalls how Ronald Reagan displayed these qualities and how Americans haven't seen them in Washington lately. She thanks everyone for calling, and ends the show with "I love you, dittoheads and loopsters, bye-bye!"