Dems Conventional Wisdom B. Clinton - Is he Hoover, Carter or Truman? In doo-doo so deep it hardly matters. H. Clinton - Her Edsel of a health plan framed this election. Time to start baking again. G. Mitchell - Turned down court, lost health care and now Mario may be baseball commish. T. Foley - Smart, decent and totally out of touch. It was time for him to go. R. Gephardt - From majority to minority leader. Needs an idea makeover to even be a player. D. Rosty - Losing to a nobody is worse than jail. Note to Newt: Arrogance gets you in the end. P. Moynihan +/- Loses power chairmanship. But don’t get his Irish up on welfare reform. J. Dingell - Arrogant Energy chair’s staff evaporates from 115 to 17. Ding-dong, you’re down. GOPs Conventional Wisdom N. Gingrich + Trades beat-up Honda for shiny Cadillac. But it’s still too small for his ego. B. Dole + Mr. Mean stakes out Capitol statesman’s role. He’d better watch his right. P. Gramm + Gets credit for winning Senate. But he’s too mean to be president. B. Archer + Whoa! New Ways and Means chief wants a flat tax. Paging Jerry Brown. D’Amato + Chairman Fonzie to start new cable network: All Whitewater All the Time. R. Armey + Majority leader plans D-Day against welfare state. The new mission creep. J. Helms + Will nuke all Bill’s diplo nominees. On to Havana/with an N.C. stogie. S. Thurmond + Tang-haired nonagenarian tries to pick up NY. Times’s M. Dowd. Almost works. At the Polls Conventional Wisdom O. North - Says he should have gone more negative. Now, that’s the Ollie we know and love. T. Kennedy +/- Survives the death of liberalism. Will lead new pro-cholesterol caucus. G. Petaki +/- Beats Cuomo with huge upstate turnout. But will he survive Letterman? A. Richards +/- Savvy, Texan loses to son of “silver foot.” Memo to Bill: Bring her to D.C. J. Bush +/- Lost Florida by going too far on crime. But best of the Bushes will be back. S. Bono + Trades Palm Springs jogging suit for D.C. straitjacket. We Cher your pain. F. Thompson + GOP lawyer/lobbyist/actor rides good-ole-boy role to Tenn. Sen. seat. Star player? S. Gunderson + GOP’s gay Wis. congressman proves party can be big tent, not closet. Sideshows Conventional Wisdom Cong. Staff - You worked for Dingell? We hear Arianna Huffington needs a nanny. R. Perot - Couldn’t burn a Bush in own backyard. That giant sucking sound is your future. G. Steph. - Boy wonder turns boy blunder by urging Bill to coddle Dem. leaders. Get a haircut. Media - With Congress liberated, you’re Public Enemy No. 1 Get a haircut. Lawyers - The contract’s out on you guys, too – tort reform’s coming. Objections overruled. Pork - Bacon didn’t win votes. But don’t worry, this little piggy will be back in town. Term Limits - Old: Send ’em home, cut their pay. New: We just got here and D.C/s expensive! Choice + Even Newt backs away from abortion ban. Political life – it’s a beautiful thing.
