Wednesday, July 17, 2002

We have Short-Shorts: Wednesday's papers always fill this board full of news and commentary and today is no exception. The West Coast Staff has put together all you'll need to get you started on your day. For more, be sure to go back at least 4 pages through the threads. We'll keep you up to date with breaking news featured in 'Must Reads' as it is available.

What we're watching out west: The airwaves of Southern California were dominated late Tuesday by this bold headline : Sheriff: Body Of Child Found Matches Missing Girl's Description. We've followed Samantha's story from the first minutes it was reported on Tuesday, we waited yesterday as the details trickled from the Riverside Co. dispatchers offices for confirmation and then we wept. The Orange County Sheriff's Dept. will give us more details in a news conference set for 10 AM Eastern.

Wall Street Weak: There's plenty of theory, policy, blame and spin to be had on the Street that's left us feeling a bit dizzy. Lets begin with this NYTimes headline warning of "The Cycles of Financial Scandal." President Bush likened the Clinton era of prosperity to a bout of "binge" drinking and the current comedown as a "hangover." The 'Doc' at the OpinionJournal recommends Dramamine.

Our kind of medicine: The Washington Post headline of "Poll Shows Bush's Ratings Weathering Business Scandals" finds President Bush's approval rating remaining constant no matter what kind of acid-tongued-rain pours from the dark skies. A related poll from Gallup finds that business leaders and stockbrokers are joining car dealers in that group of people that Americans trust the least.

Don't Stand So Close To Me: Tom Daschle lately has kept NJ Sen Corzine at his side while demanding President Bush to get tougher with corporate executives. This might find the two embarrassingly close. Just who is the panting, short guy that flew up from Georgia in a private jet to be with his admirers? Here's the 411: Texas Sen. Phil Gramm said of UgaVI: "He was probably the best looking one in the picture".

Media Watch: Today's presidential press conference in the East Room of the White House will give the press another opportunity to show their unwavering interest in 'The Woes of Wall Street that had to be caused by Dubya'. We have no home-remedy for Helen Thomas so we just won't watch until she has had her 'moment' .

Daily Diversion: The Australian has this story of a mash-up on a busy Tokyo freeway. But waiter, I ordered sushi!

-Your watchful-but-weary-eyed Editor, Amy Sheehan