Letter: George W. hardly his ‘own man’

Tuesday, March 21, 2000 | 10:25 a.m.

It all began with the meeting of the "power brokers" in Austin, Texas, when they decided George W. was their man. What commitments did he make during the meeting that caused them to immediately begin raising the largest "war chest" in history? Surely, it was not based on his smile, but must have been based on his agreement to accept their agenda. Next came the sellout to the religious right going in to the South Carolina primaries, Bob Jones University, the telephone calls by Pat Robertson and the "dirty trick" campaign against John McCain.

Next came the Wiley brothers and another slanderous, dirty-trick campaign in New York. Now it is the National Rifle Association. He has yet to disavow any of this, but tries to stand aloof from it and says he has had no part in it.

"President" George W., before making critical national decisions, will be having prayer meetings -- led by Pat Robertson and armed with automatic assault rifles provided by the NRA -- conducted in the boardrooms of the Fortune 500.

Yes, George W. will be his own man. If you believe that, let me sell you the Brooklyn Bridge.

RAYMOND C. HARBERT