As the week progressed, the greedy pig nominated for Health and Human Services Secretary withdrew his name. For more on the pig's shame, see "Daschle, Iraqi women," "Tom Daschle and his greed," "Flattery," "Daschle's gone," "The tax cheating duo" and "THIS JUST IN! WHITE MEN CAN'T PAY TAXES!"
The same shallow media that refused to explore Daschle when he was nominated, refuses to explore his greed now that he's gone. Betty's "Washington Week" noted the gossip to be found masquerading as information and news:
Ceci Connley (Washington Post) spoke of the Daschle nomination that failed and noted that he and Barack had "forged" a relationship over the "past several years" and Daschle's failure is seen as "a real disappointment and a set back for the White House". There was supposedly going to be a March 3rd health care summit and since Daschle was to be Health and Human Services Secretary and White House Health Care czar, that summit is now considered unlikely. She noted Ted Kennedy was supposed to steer health care in the Senate; however, he's "not been since in public since January 21st" when he had his seizure at the lunch on the day of the inauguration.
Ceci then went into what is needed for health care: "CEOS that have done a lot of what we want to see happen." Ceci may be the last of the corporate believers. The last thing needed is CEOs and it is so amazing that for HHS secretary no one ever felt the need to suggest that a doctor should be considered for the position.
And that was the failure of the program. It's not about what is needed and it is not about what is taking place. It is gossip, gossip, gossip. Ceci, what have you heard? Jackie, tell me more! Etc. The issues are not explored in any form, not even superficially. It's nothing but, "This may happen and someone says that . . ." It is a really bad show and once PBS needs to retool or pull off the air. It adds nothing to the public discourse -- nothing of value. Week after week, it offers gossip. As Ava and C.I. pointed out in "TV: Baby, I Know," Washington Week wasted time gabbing about Caroline Kennedy, declaring her NY's new senator and never mentioning others including the woman who is now NY's new senator. Not only that, they refused to note they were wrong and that they wasted everyone's time with gossip and gas baggery.