Mark Shields, A Tribute to a political commentator and The Capital Gang Too (Special Edition)

From the very start of my keeping archival copies of political and news events on video tape, political commentator Mark Shields has been a constant presence on any number of the materials I have saved.  He was a pundit I really enjoyed, and in whose thoughts I always wanted to hear whether he was at CNN or PBS. Ironically, he had opinions I rarely shared when it came to the issues of the day but his analysis and his understanding of history were always where he shined when he was covering  live events like major party conventions or election night coverage. 

Mark Shields just seemed to be a joyful person, with a great sense of humor, that never took himself to seriously, and, like me, a person who shared an admiration for the art of politics and the people who practice it regardless of political party or philosophy.  In a political era where those opposing your side are looked upon as the enemy he was , like me, a throw back to the era when the combatants were often referred to as happy warriors. Mark Shields seemed always to be a happy warrior. 

That trait was on full display often as he clashed with analyst Robert Novak on CNN's "The Capital Gang" , along with the rest of the regulars who sat around the table and discussed all the various issues of the day. Several of those figures are gone now and in this look back at Mark Shields we have also attempted to remember that classic program and its regular participants and guests too. It is now a bygone era in politics and media, where after an hour of clashing the regulars would leave each week  with "an outrage of the week" but they could still be laughing on camera after they delivered it. 

So enjoy this hour in honor of a true American original, a happy warrior, a man who will be missed by all who have enjoyed his contribution's to the coverage of American politics. Here is our tribute to CNN and PBS Analyst Mark Shields, with a hat tip too, to one of our favorite shows of yesteryear, Mark Shield's show, "The Capital Gang" with its cast of regulars like Al Hunt, Robert Novak, Margaret Carlson, and Kato Bourne, with Gary Bauer and Bob Dole making an appearance too. 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Mark Shields 2016 lecture in honor of Herb Lock
• 2:26 Special intro music
• 3:09 2 intro's to the CNN show "The Capital Gang"
• 4:33 Host Randal Wallace welcomes you to this special tribute episode to political commentator Mark Shileds
• 6:15 February 20, 1993 episode of The Capital Gang with Gary Bauer
• 8:29 March 27, 1993 , The Capital Gang episode with Bob Dole
• 11:00 "The Capital Gang" Outrage of the week on Henry Kissinger
• 12:25 Host Randal Wallace discusses the awful law known as the Special Prosecutor's statute before the segment in which the Capital Gang debates it.
• 13:14 The Capital Gang debates the Special Prosecutor's Statute , date unknown, 1998 Clinton case
• 17:13 Host Randal Wallace sums up his thoughts on the debate and introduces the PBS Salute to Mark Shields
• 18:02 Honoring Mark Shields and his decades of political analysis December 18, 2020
• 25:27 Live segment from PBS with Judy Woodruff, David Brooks and Mark Shields December 18, 2020
• 38:51 ad for RandalWallace.com
• 40:31 Host Randal Wallace introduces some of his favorite moments watching Mark Shields that goes back to the near beginning of his archival materials collection
• 43:16 Highlights of President Bill Clinton's speech to the 1992 Democratic National Convention, Mark Shields, David Gergen, and Jim Lehrer provide commentary on PBS
• 51:18 Host Randal Wallace talks about how riveting Mark Shields could be and his thorough knowledge of the sweep of history, and then we discuss his talks about Bob Dole in 1996
• 52:21 PBS Coverage after Bob Dole's concession speech in 1996 with Mark Shields and Doris Kearns Goodwin
• 54:08 Host Randal Wallace gives some final thoughts on the life and career of Mark Shields
• 55:06 Mark Shields 2016 lecture in honor of Herb Lock
• 1:00:33 Closing theme