Saturday, April 2, 2005

Today's Political Rant

Above, we see George W. Bush awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former C.I.A. Director George John Tenet. According to a press release that accompanied the presentation, "The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation's highest civil award. It was established by President Truman and later re-established by President Kennedy. It is awarded by the President of the United States to persons who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."

Last week, a presidential commission reported, "We conclude that the intelligence community was dead wrong in almost all of its pre-war judgments about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction." Bush says he accepts the conclusions of this report.

So, uh, what's the spin here? Tenet was in no way responsible for the fact that his agency got everything wrong so he shouldn't be denied the nation's highest honor? Getting everything wrong when the U.S. goes to war isn't that big a screw-up? Bush gave the medal when he thought Tenet had done a great job and now doesn't want to embarrass the guy now by saying it was a mistake? Help me out here, someone.

• Posted at 9:40 AM · LINK

SNL Watch

Just to remind you: The weekend late night rerun of Saturday Night Live is the Show #4 (11/8/75), which was the one hosted by Candice Bergen. It includes a great film bit by Albert Brooks, the first "Land Shark" sketch, and Andy Kaufman doing his bit where Foreign Man does inept impressions. Next week in that slot, they have Show #13 (2/14/76) which is the one where John Belushi and guest host Peter Boyle did "Dueling Brandos."

Speaking of Mr. Kaufman: A major turning point in his career, some said, was a phone survey on the 11/20/82 edition of Saturday Night Live. Viewers during the live broadcast were invited to call in and vote on whether or not to ban Andy Kaufman forever from the show. Depending on which account one believes, Kaufman either suggested the stunt or just went along with it because he expected to either win or to come back on the show thereafter in the guise of Tony Clifton. Neither of these happened. Kaufman lost the vote 195,544 to 169,186 and was never invited back again in any identity, thereby losing an important showcase for his comedy. An hour-long version of this episode, including all the Kaufman-related material, airs this Tuesday on the E! Channel. In the East, it runs at 4 PM and again at 1 AM the following morning. It's the one with host Drew Barrymore and musical guest Squeeze.

• Posted at 12:10 AM · LINK