Former FBI Director Louis Freeh is leveling a serious charge against former boss Bill Clinton in his memoir, “My FBI,” and in interviews such as the one Sunday on CBS’ “60 Minutes” — that rather than use a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to pressure him into being cooperative in investigating the 1996 bombing of Khobar Towers, Clinton used it to pressure the monarch into giving money to the Clinton presidential library. The problem is that Freeh’s troubled tenure at the FBI (Waco investigation, Oklahoma City, Wen Ho Lee, spy Robert Hanssen, computer foul-ups, pre-Sept. 11 period) makes him a less-than-credible critic. In truth, it’s getting difficult to believe what anybody from any presidential administration says about anything anymore.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers may actually benefit from being underestimated, John Dickerson writes in this article.
“The caricature of Miers that is emerging is so pathetic, her inadequacies so exaggerated, her inarticulateness so certain, that by the time she speaks in the committee room, she’s almost certain to seem appealing.”
Posted by Melissa Cooley
This week’s contest got readers thinking about our town’s perpetual tourism troubles. Old Cowtown Museum seems to find itself torn between two worlds. On the one hand is their museum mission with all of its implied emphasis on historical accuracy. On the other is the rootin’ tootin’ wild west approach with all the cheesy cliches that make historians squirm and make tourists go gaga.Here’s what contestants had to say: Kevin Hughe of Topeka weighed in with "Time to get the hell to Dodge!" Jim Kipcak of Lajitas, Texas said "Sorry little lady, but we all’s passin’ you by on our way to the #1 tourist attraction in Kansas – Cabela’s store in KC!" Curtis Fowler of Wichita saw another local tourism problem and said "Pardon me ma’am. Could you head me in the direction of a ghost town called ‘Exploration Place’?" From Richard Julius of Peck: "If Miss Kitty swaps her petticoats and corset for pasties and a g-string, they’ll come!" Dan Spoonhour of Wichita said "Oh, Oh! Looks like the ole gray mare ain’t what she used to be!" Wichita’s Bruce Cole sent in "Maybe this is one of those ‘Hidden Treasures’ things…" Our dear town got a bit of a whacking from Twila Branch of Wichita: "Yep, this is Wichita, where everything tends to be outdated, out-of-joint and a ‘little behind.’ " Finally, Karen Wallace kept it short and sweet with "Is that historic enough for ya?"
After meeting last week with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., was asked if he was impressed, The New York Times reported. Brownback paused, then carefully replied: “She’s a very decent lady.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Experts have slammed President Bush’s plan to use the military to impose a quarantine should a flu pandemic strike. But at least Washington appears to finally be paying attention to the warnings of a coming outbreak. News last week that the deadly 1918 virus was actually a bird flu that jumped directly to humans gives credence to fears about the emerging avian flu viruses in Asia. It also makes planning all the more urgent. And it’s good that Congress seems unwilling to take Bush’s word that the United States is doing all it can.
Here’s a commentary that Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., wrote for The Eagle about a bill that he and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., sponsored aimed at increasing the availability of vaccines.
Posted by Melissa Cooley
Time magazine has a cover ready to go declaring, “Osama bin Laden, Captured.” Four years ago, everybody expected a capture at any time. Now, nobody seems to feel much urgency about the need to see bin Laden on a perp walk or in a body bag, least of all President Bush. There has been incremental and lasting success in Afghanistan and the war on terrorism generally, including hundreds of arrests, but why have we so lowered our expectations for the capture of the mastermind behind Sept. 11? Politics aside, where is the outrage?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
The Wichita school board has the unenviable task today of trying to decide which of eight candidates would best serve District 1 and the school district from now until the choice is subject to voter approval in 2007. Former board president Michael Kinard, recent District 1 candidate Shontina Pickens-Tipton and the others are to be commended for stepping forward to replace Kevin Graham, who resigned a month into his board service after an arrest for allegedly writing bad checks. The board can best put this awkward episode behind it — and rebuild any public trust eroded by the Graham episode — by thoroughly scrutinizing these candidates and choosing with great care. Anyone who sits on such a crucial board should have a high level of personal integrity and fiscal responsibility.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
