Critics line up to take shot at Leavitt

Wilson: Will the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works please come to order. Today, we have the president's nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency to be reviewed before the committee. The committee will vote upon the nominee before sending his name to the floor of the Senate for final ratification.

First we go to Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont, an Independent but ranking minority member since he votes with the Democrats. Jeffords: "Governor Leavitt, I come from a very environmentally conscious state. What would your limited experience in the West do to prepare you to deal with the acid rain my state suffers from the Great Lakes?"

And now to Max Baucus of Montana: "Governor Leavitt, we of Montana think you have been a fine governor. But what do you know of the northern Rockies?"

Next, Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada: "Let me tell you, Mike. I am angry about your fight against the nuclear storage project in Tooele County that caused your Senators Hatch and Bennett to vote to put all that waste in Nevada. Why did you do that?"

"Governor, I am Bob Graham and I am running for president. If you think I am going to vote for you and have all those environmental votes at my convention go down the sink, you are crazy."

"My name is Joseph Lieberman, governor. And I am a Bob Graham ditto head. And proud of it, by the way."

"Governor, I am Barbara Boxer. Have you thought of filing for governor in California? You would do as well there as you will in this committee. I represent about 15 million greenies. What did you say the population of Utah is?"

"And my name is Ron Wyden of Oregon. Got any spotted owls out in those Utah trees? You do have trees in Utah, don't you? Your license plates say 'Ski Utah.' Ours say 'Log Oregon.' "

"My name is Thomas Capener of Delaware. Did you enjoy the Olympics? What did you know and when did you know about the Olympic bribery?"

Finally, let's turn to the last member of the committee. She's a rather quiet, laid-back woman named Hillary Clinton of New York: "Governor, don't you think President Bush made a big mistake in rejecting the Kyoto Treaty on global warming that Bill worked so hard on?"

They may not be talking that way. But that's exactly what they will be thinking. By the time it is over, Gov. Mike Leavitt may think the Utah State Legislature is not so bad after all.