Where I Stand—Mike O’Callaghan: GSA report kills rumors

Tuesday, May 22, 2001 | 8:38 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

THE HATE that Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga., and syndicated columnist Tony Snow have for President Clinton encouraged them to take rumors and run wild with unsubstantiated new statements against the former president. It was only a matter of days before other Clinton haters joined the chorus claiming Clinton's White House staff and friends damaged their offices and stole souvenirs from Air Force One during the last day of his presidency.

It didn't take long for President George W. Bush to find out the Air Force One rumors were plain nonsense, and he soon made this knowledge public. Nevertheless, the damage had been done and the charges about White House destruction raged on with encouragement from Bush's staff. Snow and Barr kept the fires burning in columns and on television news programs. Barr went so far as to call for the General Services Administration to conduct an investigation, and Clinton offered to pay for any suspected damage.

Last week the GSA report was made public but Barr, now strangely quiet, had been told of the results last month. The investigation had concluded that nothing unusual about the condition of the White House was found following the change of administrations. They found only what would be expected when offices were evacuated after several years of occupancy.

Barr muttered, "This is very disappointing." Snow blamed it all on the culture of Washington of which he and Barr are opinion makers. No, there were no apologies forthcoming from any of the hate peddlers. It will be interesting to see how television inquisitor and columnist Bob Novak, who also is a well-known Clinton critic, handles this latest information.

The all-Democrat Governor's Council of Massachusetts didn't cover themselves with any glory when complaining about the time taken by GOP Gov. Jane Swift to deliver twin girls. She is the acting governor who was elevated last month when Gov. Paul Cellucci became U.S. Ambassador to Canada. Councilor Ed O'Brien went to that state's highest court to determine if she could conduct their meetings from a hospital room.

The people of Massachusetts have for years elected gay Democrat Rep. Barney Franks to Congress. This has made them appear to be more interested in the quality of the officeholder than in his or her sexual preference. Evidently this enlightened thinking hasn't permeated the minds of O'Brien and his colleagues.

Somebody should tell the Democrat councilors that women are excellent public servants and women are the people who deliver babies. Rather than being critical of Swift they should find ways they can be of greater assistance. In other words, grow up and get with the program before you cause yourselves further shame.

El Paso Corp. isn't the only outfit now accused of ripping off California energy users. Added to the list of suspected greedy companies is the Southern California Gas Company.

The more digging done into the booming natural gas rates charged in California, the more will be learned. The cost of energy doesn't skyrocket by multiples of 4 to 10 in a two- and three-year period without somebody making obscene profits and causing pain to the consumers.

When all is said and done the investigation will probably show that greed has always been a driving force in the energy business. With a very friendly national energy policy, the oil and gas barons will get as much money as they can while the getting is good. It doesn't take a genius to see this kind of thinking escalating prices beyond belief since last November.