Thomas Hearings Scorecard

By Janice Castro

WINNERS

PHONE COMPANIES

Friends debating long distance, citizens swamping the lines to Capitol Hill, and lobbyists sending everything by fax meant big profits for the Bell clan.

C-SPAN

The best indictment of those skimpy network sound bites. Don't you wish you could get to know presidential candidates as well as you were able to size up the Judiciary Committee?

TERM LIMITATIONS

A lot more voters will probably embrace the idea now, if only because some of those senior Senators seemed so out of touch with reality.

BLACK PROFESSIONALS

The Senate turned to impressive black lawyers and public officials on both sides for guidance.

LOSERS

BASEBALL

The playoffs were a well-kept secret, and host network CBS took a bath.

WHISTLE-BLOWERS

The lesson of the hearings seemed to be: Better keep your trap shut.

THE FBI

Senators revealed information the FBI had promised to keep secret. Others said agency reports were worthless anyway.

SENATE STAFFERS

Who are those faceless aides accused of coaching the witnesses, leaking secrets and poisoning the atmosphere?

OTHER TOPICS

Tough luck for anyone who was hoping to talk about something else.

With reporting by DANIEL S. LEVY