Supreme Revenge: Alan Simpson Interview 

When I was a high school sophomore in Casper, then Senator Simpson came and spoke to our history class - just about 60 students. He didn't speak about partisan politics - only about how the senate worked. He's the kind of person who you just want to listen to - about any subject. Thank you Frontline for an excellent interview.

I could listen to this Gentleman for a very long time. Great interview.

I am a lifelong Democrat, but I would totally vote for this guy for any office including president.

I would say I'm center left on the political spectrum. I must admit we need more politicians like this man.

Tons of respect for Alan Simpson. I always thought he was one of those "nice guys". He obviously was a fighter who fiercely advocated for his beliefs.

This guy is my hero, I hope he adopts me as his grandchild

His definition at the very end of political correctness - properly attributed - is spot on. If we can't talk we seethe. And we're living with the results of seething instead of talking.

I have never been a fan of PBS political shows (too biased, only watch programs like This old house) but I started watching Frontline on RU-vid. Excellent interviews. Good questions are asked then the person being interviewed is allowed to give a full answer, no interruptions, maybe a relevant follow up, but never becomes a debate

"he was pissed to the core" 🤣 What a great interview!

Love this interview, especially the ending nuggets of wisdom about politics Alan Simpson passes on. A great one!

God I miss this guy.

where have all the good bi partisan politicians gone??? what a decent man

I loved Alan Simpson comments ... The Senate loss a great one when he left.

I can't appreciate the editing frontline did with Simpson. he should have been given an hour of uninterrupted comments. And as he said, archisaurus, it is both parties behaving horribly.

I just adore this man! It's a shame that he didn't remain in the Senate.

Love his eulogy for president Bush

Superb interview. Enjoyable to see someone call things as they are. This is the most accurate take of what the Senate confirmation process has become. I can't agree with everything he says, but the way he says it is correct and we need more of this kind of person in public service on both sides.

Fascinating stuff

It's on now

The last 5 minutes are fantastic. The definition provided of political correctness at 33:00 (or more precisely at 33:25 ) is useful, but not exact. "It is the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end." I don't entirely agree with everything Mr. Simpson said, but I respect him for how he put forth his wisdom here. I've watched this interview before, but it's better on the second viewing. Thank you for it.

I came here after listening to his speech at JWB's funeral.

I so love and admire this man. A true patriot

Great definition of political correctness!

Alan is a genuinely likeable, honorable and mutually-respected human being. He receives invites from the Left and the Right because he's an easy person to be around. He's a fun person. Think about that.

The Senators look at the House like the peasants.

Wish I had senator like him instead of the bean-brain I have now - Rob Portman of Ohio.

'...pick up a turd by the clean end.'

I miss Alan Simpson's earthiness and truthfulness. Citing the Navy Lt. Commander's definition of political correctness as ".....trying to pick a turd up by the clean end." is succinct. Political correctness is the virus that could take down the American experiment. We much say what we mean and mean what we say all in the pursuit of truthful communication.

Senator Alan Simpson: A great man, a great individual.

Interviewer - "After Bork, where was the process in your mind, before Thomas?". Alan Simpson - "Well, it was revenge... was the process. Which is the beautiful thing now. Getting into the sandbox and saying you stole my toys I want my toys back." Pollster Frank Luntz, in his "Supreme Revenge" interview said "The biggest tragedy is that we are hopelessly divided on the last thing that used to unite us, which is our judicial system. Now there's nothing that pulls us together...nothing." I say it was Sen. Simpson's mentality that is responsible. Then he has the temerity to complain that now "winning is a marvelous thing...but now, people don't wanna win, they wanna rub the losers nose in it".

He's a colorful, entitled, old white man.

Two things that are disgusting to see being made. Sausage and law.

Bork is not without issue... he did present a real risk to Roe (probably why the shit fits happened). I would have put him out principally for reasons he has himself stated, that the court can modify based on times and society, consider the timber and temper of it's citizens and sometimes decide based on court continuity and stability. In this light, he could have been the first agent in a longer arc of change that might have seen the court descend from his ostensibly intellectual opinions to affect continuity, create vulnerability, politically shift to an emphasis on the times in which the court exists, which could create further polticizations to restore continuity and credibility. A crisis of this nature would likely cause a lean toward regression in the court, more socially "base" or instinctual.

I might not agree with this political views but you can't say he doesn't have wisdom to share.

Well, I’m going to be the dissenting opinion here. After watching then Sen. Simpson question Anita Hill, I came to the conclusion that this man doesn’t have a clue about sexual harassment. I am interested in pursuing the truth, not seeing everything through a lens of party ideology, strategy, or tactics. He never believed her, thinking she was a tool of the Democrats, nothing more.

18:50 I shall never forget Brett's snared face. Worse I've ever seen. Very strange and I'm not sure why he did that.

"with his blanky over his head" LMAO, yah way to run and hide HILARY! lose a election and run and get your blanky, doctors orders! also got to love that definition of political correctness. go grab that turd! lol

You don’t have to worry about sounding racist/homophobic/or bigoted if you don’t say racist/homophobic/bigoted stuff. If racism/homophobia or bigotry isn’t part of what you’re doing ( or isn’t hidden at the core of what you’re doing) you don’t have to worry. The people who have a problem with “political correctness” are always the ones who are upset that they can’t use slurs/have to treat people the see as beneath them as equal. Why is not being racist or homophobic soooooo restrictive to this guy? Cuz he wants to say the n word with a hard r,keep women from having bodily autonomy, send “those people back to where they come from”,fire people who are lgbt and refuse them service in public businesses (cuz you know, homophobia, er, um, religious freedom), and get rid of any government programs that help the elderly/disabled/poor (cuz they’re just takers) So sorry your racist homophobic bigotry is no longer acceptable. Sorry being called on it is difficult for you, but it IS 2020 and we’re moving on. If you have any doubt about what I’ve said, he says Robert E Lee statues were something we shouldn’t be getting rid of. The racist slave owner who led part of our country in a WAR against the rest of our country so the south could KEEP SLAVERY AND OWN HUMAN BEINGS AS PROPERTY is someone we should have statues of. Racist.

ONCE JUSTICE Ruth Bader Ginsburg hit the coffin the republicans will run the justice department for 100 years!!!!!!!!! THATS MEANS A LOT FOR US REPUBLICANS!!!!!💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

I will never forget his atrocious behavior at the hearings with Anita Hill. He showed bogus "letters" he pulled out of his pocket supposedly in support of Thomas but when asked to share his letters he just put them back in his pocket. Shame on this sorry excuse for a senator.

It's the 21st century and this guy is praising Lee...

Fascinating stuff