The HILL IS BUZZING over weird incident: Frist's Chief of Staff Flips Out!

(December 14, 2005 -- 11:14 AM EST // link)
The Hill is buzzing today over a weird incident yesterday in which Sen. Bill Frist's (R-TN) Chief of Staff Eric Ueland flipped out at a young AP reporter, Jonathan Katz, who had the temerity to ask Frist whether it was true that he had no idea how much stock he owned before he sold it off just ahead of the stock's precipitous decline.

Roll Call (sub.req.) fills us in on what happened next ...

After the off-camera dugout ended, Ueland “berated” and “bullied” the AP reporter, according to other reporters, for initiating the line of questioning. Ueland accused Katz of not understanding the issue after having been repeatedly briefed on the HCA matter.
One reporter said Ueland was “demeaning and rude” to the young AP journalist. Another veteran reporter said Ueland “went over the line” in “dressing the guy down” — in front of about 25 other reporters, no less. Yet another Senate reporter said, “It was outrageous. was yelling at the kid. And Eric is usually a very calm and cool guy.”

Reporters who attended the dugout said Frist looked rattled over questions about the HCA deal, which remains the subject of dual federal investigations, and speculated that perhaps Ueland snapped because Frist doesn’t have a good defense. They also noted that Frist has largely avoided cameras since the controversy broke and has moved his dugouts — when he holds them — into the Senate chamber, where cameras and tape recorders are prohibited.

“Now everyone’s talking about it. ... Now I’m wondering if he’s gotten another subpoena. It makes me think there’s something going on,” one veteran journalist said.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/51_63/hoh/11569-1.html

to ASK AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN.

bosses and reassigned to cover dog shows and convenience store openings.

especially cornered animals who have become accustomed to running the show:)

Delay and Abramhoff and the rest of the scandals. " We didn't forget about you ". I think he deserves a little more attention.

Please, please!

I promise lots of good food and entertainment! :popcorn:

Sounds like Eric the aide has his panties in a FRIST!

for Fritzmas on DU this year?

Her show is the best thing to happen to radio since Jack Benny and Big League baseball. :7:thumbsup:

flip out. Of course she had more class than Frist and she didn't make her money bilking the sick and dying.

Frist belongs in court - not managing the confirmation of a nominee for Supreme Court Justice.

Frist is a mealy mouthed, hypocritical bully who has never stood up to much heat and doesn't know he's in the kitchen, let alone know how to get out of it.

The end of it, when the hyenas turn on the usurper.

So used to being in charge, now lashing out because he knows that they can bring him down if they work together.

We need more journalists willing to ask questions like that. Maybe we oughta send him a "thank you"!

http://www.cafepress.com/scarebaby/658010

Toward the end of the interview, Chris Wallace brought up the HCA situation and Frist looked like he was taken aback. He was asked if he had testified under oath or was subpoenaed. He immediately said he did nothing wrong and everything has been above any ethical standards currently in place.

He did not answer the question. He looked like a deer in headlights and was tripping over his words trying to recite his talking points. I loved watching him squirm and was shocked that C. Wallace put him on the defensive. Maybe it was inadvertent or maybe the RW is tossing him overboard.

:popcorn:

Just had to quote Mr. Potter. The above is my Christmas greeting to Senator Frist.

Senator, you're NO George Bailey.

Here's hoping Frist and Ueland end up in the same padded room, very soon. What a great Christmas gift that would be for all of us.

A remake of Hitchcock's THE BIRDS is an option, only with cats this time, and of course, Bill Frist in the lead role.

books too many facts in them":sarcasm:

Almost dared Frist to use his stupid "nuclear option." Frist was so shaken up he could hardly speak after Byrd ripped into his candy ass! I'm glad the SOB ain't my doctor! That would be BAD if you couldn't trust you doctor, anymore than you can trust that lying stack of shit! I'll bet the idiot's malpractice insurance was so high he had to get into politics!

I can't believe anyone would want him for a doctor.
The revenge of the cats, I hope he hears the mews of the kittens he killed at night in his nightmares.

this life on Earth. At least they don't have to be afraid of the likes of Saddam or Bush any more.

So sad...

O8)
Yay kitties! Go, go, go! :loveya:

They may not stand up for the middle-class as they're being economically shanghaied, or for the truth when it comes to starting wars, or outing CIA agents, or fair elections, or for responsibility for 9/11, or for skepticism over repeatedly discredited supply-side 'economics', or against torture as American morality, or for pretty much anything they're supposed to be standing for, but you can bet they'll stand up for themselves.

Bad move Bill.

I do find it interesting that Frist has taken to smoking pot on the Senate floor however. Guess it's the only place it's legal in US.

I couldn't let this one pass. I know that you can't literally mean that he's been smoking pot on the Senate floor. Is this some inside joke that I'm not aware of?

Guess you've just admitted a lack of familiarity with certain street slang, which is not a bad thing. By the same token, I've just acknowledged that familiarity, whoops.
A dugout is a term for a small, usually wooden, piece of paraphanalia that has a little cavity for holding certain herbal accompaniments. Also contained in the piece is a thing called a "bat" which is a hollow tube used for the consumption of said herbals.
Consider yourself an insider now.
Can't say I'd blame Fristy if he availed himself of such diversions.

I think baseball.

like Herman Munster every day! I expect him to start sweating droplets of blood any time now.

they will disolve into a fizzing puddle like the wicked witch of the east. They know they're evil, we know they're evil, let's just call the whole thing off.

Frists illegal stock sale. :rofl: Their sheeple may have forgottn, but guess what? WE WILL NEVER FORGET..... you little corrupt twit.

I hope he's in line for an indictment! SOON!:bounce:

Out a CIA agent, and you keep all your WH security clearances, but ask questions about it, and you'll lose your access pass.

he definitely is going to jail...

This was way overboard... and I hope the reporter crished him...

Indicted republicans are still allowed to run for president. (Otherwise there will be no one to steal the election) :(

...to berate a reporter in front of a 25 OTHER reporters. Or in other words, don't pick fights with people who buy ink by the barrel (an old chestnut, but true). :evilgrin:

like the old veterans. Gonna follow J. Katz and see where he ends up.

Now, what that young reporter did, was the same as a young military soldier putting his life on the line for us. I hope his editor treats him or her right.

Watch for a shitstorm of made-up, non-issues to rouse the knuckle-draggers out there.:evilgrin: