On ' Deface the Nation ', Henry Hyde and John Podesta gave their opposing views on the pending impeachment vote on Bill Clinton, in the House of Representitives on Thursday ( not together at the same time ).

Henry Hyde said the House was " cleansing the office of the Presidency ". Here are some other notable quotes. " No matter what we've done, we've been called unfair ". " There are some Republicans who would feel different, if he would admit his wrong doing ". In response to whether or not he thinks Clinton should resign, " Yes, I think the President should step down ". On his actions on the Judiciary Committee, we are " defending the sanctity of the oath ".

John Podesta ( Whitehouse Chief of Staff ) played Clinton's ' wag the dog ' routine, mentioning Clinton's successes in Israel and Ireland. Maybe Podesta should have quoted the body count, in violence errupting in both areas! He stressed that the Congress should " permit the censure option ". Didn't Clinton beg for censure himself on Friday?

On ' Fixed Views Sunday ', Tony Snow had Republicans Peter King and Lindsey Graham as guests. Peter King, the closest thing the GOP has to a liberal Democrat, agreed that Clinton had committed perjury and violated his oath. He said, " I support censure " and the " conduct is not impeachable ". Lindsey Graham, a man who for months was offering an olive branch to the President, said of Thursday's vote, " It's simple now, let's not turn it upside down. Let's do what they told us to 200 years ago ". On a censure motion, he said, " Don't try and invent a way out ".

On the liberal Democrat sponsored CNN ' Berated Condition ', three Republicans and one of Clinton's ' boys ' were among the guests. Bob Livingston said, " It is for the Senate, to decide on censure ". Dick Armey said, " I must stay focused on my duty ". He also asked this rhetorical question, " Can he ( Clinton ) govern a nation of laws, when he breaks them? " On a vote Thursday for censure, Arlen Specter opined, " If the House is to consider a censure motion, it should be in a separate proceeding ". Charles Schumer, one of a group of recently elected Democrats beholding to Clinton, cited the Whitehouse/DNC pollaganda. He added, " Without the opportunity to vote for censure, the House will vote for impeachment ".

On ' Eat The Depressed ', Tim Russert solicited some differing opinions from legislators. Three supposedly undecided moderate Republicans, Billy Tauzin, Scott Klug and Brian Bilbray offered their insight. Tauzin said of note. " We all agree the President did some pretty terrible things. He lied to me personally ". He also said, " Most Americans believe perjury is an impeachable offense ". Klug on the Whitehouse spin machine said, " The Whitehouse is trying to run a strategy where they are contrite one minute and attack dogs the next ". Bilbray, on making his mind up on voting for or against the impeachment articles, " Clinton's denials doesn't help it " and " creates a surrealistic environment ". Tom Delay debunked the Whitehouse spin that he has been hammering Republicans to vote for impeachment, saying, " This is so grave, so serious, this is when members rise above politics ", and " I have not asked one member to vote one way or another ". He added, " It's not about Ken Starr...it's about Bill Clinton ". On possible voter backlash he offered, " This is too important to worry about politics ". On censure as an option, Delay finally got the truth out to the viewing public, " The Constitution does not anticipate censure. The House has never censured the President before; it was the Senate ". So much for misleading Democrat spin ( lies ). Dick Gephardt obviously stressed the need for Clinton to be censured and not impeached ( the standard Whitehouse ordered talking point ). With his blinders solidly affixed, he said, " In the face of all this, the President has run a successful foreign policy ". Whoa, shouldn't Gephardt look to Israel, Northern Ireland, North Korea and China, for some insight into this possible case of his putting his foot in his mouth? Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein finished off the program. Woodward quoted Nixon - ' I gave my opponents the sword ( of my impeachment ) ', and said " Clinton's tendency not to be straight " is the sword he is giving the House. On Democrats, he asked the rhetorical question, " Where's the principle here?" Bernstein said, " This is a train wreck. The country has been terribly served by the President's lawyers ". On the possibility of Clinton being convicted in the Senate, he didn't think the President was in such a good position, " A trial would be very problematic ".

On ' This Week's Geeks ' three Republicans and two Democrats offered up some interesting food for thought. Henry Hyde on the American judicial system requirements, " honest judge, ethical bar and an oath that is enforcable ". On Whitehouse pollaganda, " If Jesus Christ had taken a poll, he would have never preached the gospell ". Bob Ney offered, " The President didn't tell the truth under oath ". He said that a censure would have to include loss of pension, refusal of pardon, and to pay the actual costs of the investigation. When asked if Clinton could say or do anything more than his last statement, he said, " It's too late ". Finally, when quizzed about the Whitehouse spinmeister reports of pressure from Tom Delay to vote for impeachment, he replied, " Absolutely no pressure from Tom Delay ". Jay Dickey told of a rather disturbing phone call he received from the Whitehouse that included a political threat, " If he ( Dickey ) votes for impeachment, it is suicide, we will make sure it is ". This is scarey stuff. He said he would vote no to a censure motion. Also asked about contact by GOP leadership, " I have had very little contact...no contact with Tom Delay ". Richard ' Wipe that shit eating grin off your face ' Ben-Veniste and Lloyd Cutler did the Whitehouse spinmeister duet. Ben-Veniste said, " People want him to confess to a crime he hasn't committed ". Cutler on impeachment, " I think it will go to trial ". In their ' ground table ' discussion, Bill Crystal and George Step-on-all-of-us had something to say. Crystal, " The President can't make a case, because he has no case ". Step-on-all-of-us said, " He ( Clinton ) lied under oath ".

I was surprised how the Democrats toned down their rhetoric. Maybe the polls are changing against them? Most of these media talking heads conveniently forget that the House of Representitives has never censured a President. I am really glad that Tom Delay put that spinmeister talking point to rest!

- Bongo ( Who will be getting a lump of coal in their stocking Christmas morning? )