The Hot Seat A Weekly Look At People In The News

Will Pat Buchanan take a Pratt fall?

It comes as no surprise that Pat Buchanan’s co-campaign manager, Larry Pratt has ties to white supremacists. Or that another of Buchanan’s underlings was the presidentress of a racist group in northern Florida. It would be a surprise if there wasn’t a whole big, bunch of extremists in the Buchanan campaign. Not to mention that Pratt once gave an interview to Playboy magazine of all the disgusting, hedonistic things. Add it up and the Christian Conservatives who support Buchanan smell like a skunk got in their closet. Hello? Bob Dole?

You’re a dirty rat. No, YOU are. No, YOU are

As we predicted months ago, the Republican presidential candidates have started cannibalizing each other. Racing like rats, they are working overtime to see who can orchestrate the meanest, nastiest advertising campaign. However, there is growing concern that they are too good at being nasty. Even bomb-thrower Bob Dornan has suggested the candidates need to “stop tearing at one another.” Dornan’s concern, and ours, is that voters will become confused and not know which attack ads to believe. Don’t be confused! Our research indicates they are all true.

Matching wits with a computer shouldn’t be that hard

Many fellow intellectuals have been bugging us for our insight on the big chess match between Grandmaster Gary Kasparov and the IBM computer Deep Blue. Kasparov held his own against the electronic chess demon and won the match, 4-2, Saturday. But our concern is that Kasparov missed the big picture. If he really wanted to prove the intellectual superiority of man he should have sat at the table and carefully studied every move. Then, thoughtfully walked over, scratched his chin and unplugged the darn thing.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 3 Photos

MEMO: The Hot Seat is an irreverent look at controversial issues in the news. The views expressed are those of the writer. Today’s Hot Seat was written by Scott Sines.