Sunday, January 08, 2006

 

Plus ça change . . .

This is from The National Lampoon Radio Hour -- a radio skit first broadcast December 29, 1973, featuring the voice of Chevy Chase, entitled "Mission: Impeachable":

"Good morning, Mr. Hunt. Several high-ranking members of the Democratic Party are attempting to seize control of the government of the United States by legitimate means. They plan to use the free press, open discussion of the issues, and the universal franchise, in an all-out effort to win the Presidency.

"Should they succeed, all our efforts to repeal the Bill of Rights, pack the Supreme Court with rightwing morons, intimidate the media, suppress dissent, halt social progress, promote big business, and crush the Congress, will be destroyed.

"Your mission, E, should you choose to accept it, is to stop these men once and for all, by insuring that the weakest of them, Senator George McGovern, wins the nomination and then, sabotaging his campaign by any possible means.

"You will have at your disposal electronic bugging equipment, burglary tools, wigs, voice-alteration devices, a camera disguised as a tobacco pouch, forged documents, a safe house, five hundred loyal but clumsy Cubans, and two million dollars in one-hundred-dollar bills.

"As always, if any member of your CIA force is caught or killed, the President will disavow any knowledge of your activities.

"This administration will self-destruct in sixteen months.¹ Good luck, Howie."

¹ In reality, it only lasted half that long -- another eight months. Good call, though.

posted by Michael 10:32 PM