This partial transcript of The Beltway Boys, Dec. 15, was provided by the Federal Document Clearing House. Click here to order the complete transcript.
FRED BARNES, CO-HOST: Here's our tip sheet for next week's action.
Item number one, Congress is scheduled to recess next week for the holiday.
MORT KONDRACKE, CO-HOST: And it's just a recess, it's not an adjournment.
BARNES: Yes.
KONDRACKE: I'm not sure that they're going to have all their work done before Christmas...
BARNES: Yes.
KONDRACKE: ... probably won't, may have to come back.
You know, and the politics won't stop.
BARNES: Yes, yes.
KONDRACKE: The Republicans are going to pound on Tom Daschle for being an obstructionist, you know, and it won't stop.
BARNES: Well, now, wait a minute, he is obstructing these bills, isn't he?
KONDRACKE: Yes, but it also takes 60 votes to pass something in the Senate...
BARNES: Yes...
KONDRACKE: ... not just 51.
BARNES: Right.
KONDRACKE: It's harder than in the House.
BARNES: He's an obstructionist. Democrats with – when you – Republicans...
KONDRACKE: Move along here, move along.
BARNES: All right. Item number two, look for a big education bill signing at the White House next week.
KONDRACKE: I mean, finally, you know, they passed the education bill months ago, and it's been – both houses, and it's been sitting in conference ever since.
BARNES: Yes, yes.
KONDRACKE: They've been squabbling over money. Finally it gets passed, good...
BARNES: Yes, they'll bloviate about this bill.
KONDRACKE: ... something...
BARNES: A lot of spending, no reform.
Item three, Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld will meet with his Russian counterpart next week for discussions now that the ABM treaty's been scrapped.
KONDRACKE: I have a hunch that Putin would have been easier about this whole thing, but...
BARNES: He is easy.
KONDRACKE: ... well, no, but he – no, even easier than he was. But – and made a – might have made a deal on this. But that his military is saying, no, no, no. They've been scared of American ABM for years and they can't...
BARNES: Yes, right.
KONDRACKE: ... get over it.
BARNES: Hey, the Russians have thrown in with us, so, you know, the military's...
KONDRACKE: Putin, Putin.
BARNES: ... going to have to like it.
Item four, the new interim government takes over in Afghanistan next Saturday. Pashtun leader Hamid Karzai will serve as prime minister.
KONDRACKE: How would you like to be Hamid Karzai? You know, you know, this is the earthly equivalent of the "Star Wars," you know, the meanest bar in the universe...
BARNES: Yes, yes.
KONDRACKE: ... remember that?
BARNES: Yes.
KONDRACKE: That's what poor Karzai's got to face, I...
BARNES: Yes, his assembly, his, you know, national assembly will consist of something like 500 Bobby Byrds, you know, all off on their own tangents.
Item number five, the Justice Department will decide next week how the Red Cross Sept. 11 funds will be distributed.
KONDRACKE: Well, Ken Feinberg, the appointee of John Ashcroft, is in charge of doing this. That's a tough a job. Not as tough a job as Hamid Karzai's, but he'll do it.
BARNES: Yes, well, I hope so. He's a good guy. Look, I recommend giving some money to the Todd Beamer Foundation, which his widow has set up, which gives money to the widows and orphans of that Flight 93, good place to give some money.
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