DATE=03/19/97
TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST
NUMBER=6-10074
TITLE=WEDNESDAY'S EDITORIALS
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=GARY EDQUIST
CONTENT=
// EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS PERISHABLE MATERIAL AND BECOMES
DATED AFTER 10 P-M E-S-T ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 19TH //
INTRO: THE WITHDRAWAL BY ANTHONY LAKE FROM CONSIDERATION AS THE
NEW HEAD OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY AFTER A
GRUELING SENATE CONFIRMATION PROCESS TOPS THE LIST OF
EDITORIAL TOPICS IN THE U-S PRESS THIS WEDNESDAY.
TEXT: FROM THE NEW ENGLAND COAST TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND
BEYOND, THE NATION'S EDITORIAL WRITERS ARE CONTEMPLATING
BOTH THE WITHDRAWAL OF ANTHONY LAKE FROM CONSIDERATION
TO BE HEAD OF THE CIA, AND ITS IMPLICATIONS. IN HIS
LETTER TO PRESIDENT CLINTON WITHDRAWING HIS NAME FROM
CONSIDERATION, MR. LAKE SUGGESTED THAT THE TRADITIONAL
"ADVISE AND CONSENT" FUNCTION THE CONSTITUTION GIVES THE
SENATE, HAS GONE "HAYWIRE" [CRAZY].
WHILE THE MAJORITY OF PAPERS SAY THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS
WERE EXCESSIVE, SEVERAL PAPERS EXPRESS RELIEF THAT MR.
LAKE HAS WITHDRAWN SINCE THEY FEEL HE WAS NOT
QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB. HERE'S THE BOSTON GLOBE'S
VERSION, UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE VENDETTA AGAINST [MR.]
LAKE.
VOICE: "SENATOR RICHARD SHELBY OF ALABAMA, THE REPUBLICAN
CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, HAS
SUCCEEDED IN SABOTAGING ANTHONY LAKE'S NOMINATION TO
BECOME THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
AGENCY. THE METHODS [MR.] SHELBY USED TO DELAY SENATE
CONFIRMATION AND PROVOKE [MR.] LAKE INTO WITHDRAWING
WERE REPUGNANT."
TEXT: IN FLORIDA, HOWEVER, THE MIAMI HERALD HAS THIS COMMENT.
VOICE: "MAYBE ANTHONY LAKE'S NOMINATION TO BE DIRECTOR OF THE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WAS DOOMED FROM THE START.
.... STILL, THERE IS NO DENYING MR. LAKE'S POINT: THE
PROCESS STINKS. ...... WITH [MR.] LAKE OUT PRESIDENT
CLINTON NOW CAN LOOK FOR A TOUGHER, SMARTER C-I-A
DIRECTOR - - ONE THAT READS [UNDERSTANDS] CONGRESS."
TEXT: [OPT] THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION SAYS THE DAMAGE GOES
BEYOND MR. LAKE OR THE LEADERLESS C-I-A, TO THE SENATE
ITSELF.
VOICE: "THE WORST CASUALTY IN THIS COLLISION ISN'T [MR.] LAKE
OR [PRESIDENT] CLINTON OR EVEN THE C-I-A. IT IS THE
CONFIRMATION PROCEDURE AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE SENATE
ITSELF. SENATORS USED TO HONOR A PRESIDENT'S RIGHT TO
APPOINT PEOPLE OF HIS CHOOSING, UNLESS THE CANDIDATE WAS
PALPABLY UNFIT. [MR.] LAKE ..... FELL VICTIM TO NEW
LOWS IN A PARTISAN CONGRESS." [END OPT]
TEXT: THE NEW YORK POST CALLS MR. LAKE'S EXIT "NO LOSS," WHILE
ON LONG ISLAND, NEWSDAY'S OPINION IS THAT: "[MR.] LAKE
WAS NEVER THE BEST CHOICE FOR SPYMASTER, BUT [SENATOR]
SHELBY'S HEARING CONDUCT WAS WORSE." HOWEVER, THE NEW
YORK TIMES BEGS TO DIFFER.
VOICE: "....ON THE WHOLE NEITHER THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS NOR THE
GENERAL CLIMATE IN WASHINGTON ARE AS HAYWIRE AS MR. LAKE
SUGGESTED IN HIS WITHDRAWAL LETTER..... IN THE END, MR.
LAKE WAS UNDONE BY MR. CLINTON'S RECKLESS 1996 ELECTION
CAMPAIGN AND THE FAILURE OF TOP WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS,
INCLUDING MR. LAKE, TO INSULATE AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
FROM FUND-RAISING EFFORTS."
NEB/ANG/GE
19-Mar-97 11:55 AM EST (1655 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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