Daily Howler - May 31, 2005

CHURLS IN CHARGE (PART 1)! Why do we liberals lose spin wars, Drum asks. Incomparably, we start on our answer:

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2005

MUST-SEE MTP: If you didn’t see Sunday’s Meet the Press,we strongly suggest that you read the full transcript. No runaway bride intruded here! For the full hour, Tim Russert and panel discussed the chances of a nuclear attack inside the U.S. And guess what? The chances of that are pretty good, all five panelists told their host. Here’s where the rubber hit the road, near the end of the program:

RUSSERT (5/29/05): I'd like to go around the table. Chairman [Thomas] Kean, let me start with you. Based on everything you've learned during the course of your work as chairman of the September 11 Commission, do you believe it's a distinct possibility that you could witness a nuclear bomb in the United States of America in your lifetime?

KEAN: I believe that, and we talked to nobody who had studied this issue who didn't think it was a real possibility. And if we don't perhaps head Lincoln's advice and, at this point, think anew and act anew, I worry very seriously.

LEE HAMILTON: Oh, yes, I think it's a distinct possibility. This technology is spreading. It's no longer confined to a few people or one or two countries. We've been fairly fortunate with the non-proliferation regime over a period of several decades now. We don't have nearly as many nuclear-power countries as might have been predicted 30 years ago. So the technology is spreading; terrorism is spreading; radical Islam is spreading. You've got an explosive mix here.

RUSSERT: Senator [Sam] Nunn?

NUNN: I agree.