Fraters Libertas

An Imperfect Commission Chairman

I have real hopes for the bipartisan commission President Bush just named to probe potential intelligence failures with regard to Iraqi WMD programs. Not for any “gotcha” revelations, which I doubt exist. But rather for the insights gained into the complex nature of intelligence gathering operations and the inherent uncertainty in trying to reach conclusions with the absence of sufficient human assets.

But my hopes are dimmed somewhat when I read who was chosen to lead the commission:

The chairmen will be former U.S. senator and Virginia governor Charles S. Robb, a Democrat who served on the Senate intelligence committee until his defeat in 2000, and Laurence H. Silberman, a federal appeals court judge and Republican who was deputy attorney general under presidents Richard M. Nixon and Gerald Ford.

It’s the selection of Robb that is of particular concern. Not because his independent assessment may be compromised because he’s a stooge of the administration, as some critics suggest. Instead, because it’s very possible Robb is simply a stooge, in the Moe, Larry, Curly tradition.

To be fair, my impressions of Robb are based on one source, the compelling political documentary “A Perfect Candidate.” It’s about the 1994 US Senate race in Virginia between Robb and Republican candidate Oliver North. The film makers' intent was to do a hatchet job on North. And they partially succeed at this, since North’s campaign was vulnerable to such a portrayal. As shown in the film, it was subject to all of the most cynically effective influences of the modern political age. But the film’s portrayal of Robb is more damning yet, an unintended consequence of closely following this race, no doubt. To the directors' credit, they chose to run with it, making "A Perfect Candiate" more of an indictment of the political process in general, rather than just a hit piece on Ollie North.

Robb is portrayed as a stumbling, fumbling empty suit of a candidate. His only qualifications being his record of military service, his telegenic qualities and his famous wife (LBJ’s daughter). Roger Ebert’s review describes two of the Robb scenes that are laugh out loud funny:

Charles Robb, in contrast, hardly seems to be present at all. He wanders forlornly through a supermarket, seeking a voter, and when he finds one his approach is so inept the voter seems unsure why this stranger is talking to him. One dawn Robb campaigns outside a factory gate and is asked by a reporter for his position on workers hired to replace strikers. "My position hasn't changed,'' he says. "Well,'' says the reporter, ``are you for it?'' "I have not changed my position.'' "Are you against it?'' "I have the same position I have always had.'' The reporter turns to a Robb handler and asks, "Can we have a simultaneous translation here?''

Movies, especially agenda driven documentaries, can of course distort reality. So I grant that Sen. Robb may have been unfairly characterized by his own performance, through some artful editing. A scan of Robb’s record shows he has a strong background in military and foreign affairs. This is from a Harvard description of his qualifications to teach a course there on defense issues:

Charles S. Robb's career has focused on military service, law, and politics. Elected lieutenant governor of Virginia in 1977 and governor in 1981, he chaired the Democratic Governors Association and co-founded and chaired the Democratic Leadership Council. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1988 and re-elected in 1994 over Ollie North in the most closely watched race in the nation. In the Senate he became the only senator ever to serve simultaneously on all three national security committees.

It’s also true that Robb may be been suffering from temporary stresses in 1994 that made his behavior uncharacteristically buffoonish. Best guess for said stresses would be the allegations surrounding his relationship with Playboy model Tai Collins that broke during this campaign. When presented with some irrefutable evidence on an assignation in a hotel room, Robb was reduced to the defense: “Yes, we were both in the hotel room, but it was only a nude massage!”

Here’s a picture of Ms. Collins that may make us all a little more sympathetic towards Robb’s predicament. Don’t worry it’s safe for public viewing. And it wasn't easy to find. Testifying to Ms. Collins charms, it's nearly impossible to find an Internet picture of her where she’s not topless.

Last week on Fox News, Bill Kristol suggested Joe Lieberman as the Democrat-affiilated chairman of the Intelligence commission. Seemed like a good idea then. Pending any revelations about him and Carmen Electra in a hotel room, it seems like a superior choice now.