DATE=03/19/97
      TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST
    NUMBER=6-10074
     TITLE=WEDNESDAY'S EDITORIALS
    BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
 TELEPHONE=619-3335
  DATELINE=WASHINGTON
    EDITOR=GARY EDQUIST

CONTENT=

// EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS PERISHABLE MATERIAL AND BECOMES 
DATED AFTER 10 P-M  E-S-T  ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 19TH //

INTRO:   THE WITHDRAWAL BY ANTHONY LAKE FROM CONSIDERATION AS THE
         NEW HEAD OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY AFTER A 
         GRUELING SENATE CONFIRMATION PROCESS TOPS THE LIST OF 
         EDITORIAL TOPICS IN THE U-S PRESS THIS WEDNESDAY. 

TEXT:    FROM THE NEW ENGLAND COAST TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND 
         BEYOND, THE NATION'S EDITORIAL WRITERS ARE CONTEMPLATING
         BOTH THE WITHDRAWAL OF ANTHONY LAKE FROM CONSIDERATION 
         TO BE HEAD OF THE CIA, AND ITS IMPLICATIONS.  IN HIS 
         LETTER TO PRESIDENT CLINTON WITHDRAWING HIS NAME FROM 
         CONSIDERATION, MR. LAKE SUGGESTED THAT THE TRADITIONAL 
         "ADVISE AND CONSENT" FUNCTION THE CONSTITUTION GIVES THE
         SENATE, HAS GONE "HAYWIRE" [CRAZY]. 

         WHILE THE MAJORITY OF PAPERS SAY THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS 
         WERE EXCESSIVE, SEVERAL PAPERS EXPRESS RELIEF THAT MR. 
         LAKE HAS WITHDRAWN SINCE THEY FEEL HE WAS  NOT  
         QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB.  HERE'S THE BOSTON GLOBE'S 
         VERSION, UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE VENDETTA AGAINST [MR.] 
         LAKE.

VOICE:   "SENATOR RICHARD SHELBY OF ALABAMA, THE REPUBLICAN 
         CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, HAS 
         SUCCEEDED IN SABOTAGING ANTHONY LAKE'S NOMINATION TO 
         BECOME THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE 
         AGENCY.  THE METHODS [MR.] SHELBY USED TO DELAY SENATE 
         CONFIRMATION AND PROVOKE [MR.] LAKE INTO WITHDRAWING 
         WERE REPUGNANT."

TEXT:    IN FLORIDA, HOWEVER, THE MIAMI HERALD HAS THIS COMMENT.

VOICE:   "MAYBE ANTHONY LAKE'S NOMINATION TO BE DIRECTOR OF THE 
         CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WAS DOOMED FROM THE START.  
         .... STILL, THERE IS NO DENYING MR. LAKE'S POINT: THE 
         PROCESS STINKS. ...... WITH [MR.] LAKE OUT PRESIDENT 
         CLINTON NOW CAN LOOK FOR A TOUGHER, SMARTER C-I-A 
         DIRECTOR - -  ONE THAT READS [UNDERSTANDS] CONGRESS."

TEXT:    [OPT] THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION SAYS THE DAMAGE GOES 
         BEYOND MR. LAKE OR THE LEADERLESS C-I-A, TO THE SENATE 
         ITSELF.

VOICE:   "THE WORST CASUALTY IN THIS COLLISION ISN'T [MR.] LAKE 
         OR [PRESIDENT] CLINTON OR EVEN THE C-I-A.  IT IS THE 
         CONFIRMATION PROCEDURE AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE SENATE 
         ITSELF.  SENATORS USED TO HONOR A PRESIDENT'S RIGHT TO 
         APPOINT PEOPLE OF HIS CHOOSING, UNLESS THE CANDIDATE WAS
         PALPABLY UNFIT.  [MR.] LAKE ..... FELL VICTIM TO NEW 
         LOWS IN A PARTISAN CONGRESS." [END OPT]

TEXT:    THE NEW YORK POST CALLS MR. LAKE'S EXIT "NO LOSS," WHILE
         ON LONG ISLAND, NEWSDAY'S OPINION IS THAT: "[MR.] LAKE 
         WAS NEVER THE BEST CHOICE FOR SPYMASTER, BUT [SENATOR] 
         SHELBY'S HEARING CONDUCT WAS WORSE." HOWEVER, THE NEW 
         YORK TIMES BEGS TO DIFFER.

VOICE:   "....ON THE WHOLE NEITHER THE SENATE PROCEEDINGS NOR THE
         GENERAL CLIMATE IN WASHINGTON ARE AS HAYWIRE AS MR. LAKE
         SUGGESTED IN HIS WITHDRAWAL LETTER.....  IN THE END, MR.
         LAKE WAS UNDONE BY MR. CLINTON'S RECKLESS 1996 ELECTION 
         CAMPAIGN AND THE FAILURE OF TOP WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS, 
         INCLUDING MR. LAKE, TO INSULATE AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY 
         FROM FUND-RAISING EFFORTS."

NEB/ANG/GE

19-Mar-97 11:55 AM EST (1655 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.