And anyway, Safire beshitted his reputation further by announcing on October 21, 1991 that Cuomo had decided to run "long ago." (Cuomo announced he would not run in December of '91.)

Bill Clinton's Cabinet appointments have been distinctly disappointing. The latest outrage came Wednesday, during congressional confirmation hearings for Democratic National Chair Ronald H. Brown, the next commerce secretary.

Brown, besides having written little about trade issues and besides being in a lobbying firm that is actually named Patton, Boggs and Blow, does not seem right for the job.

First, there's the issue of his past lobbying. As The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday, Brown went to bat for the oppressive Haitian government as far back as 1982, and the Boggs and Blow (Blow?) firm represented the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

Evidence strongly suggests that Brown also sleazed a contracting deal from New York City (conveniently the site of the Democratic convention this year) into the hands of a company he represented.

Most disturbingly, though, are Brown's views on trade--and the fact that he kept many of those views to himself in Wednesday's hearings. When he did talk, he didn't concede that Japanese trade practices are even partly responsible for the trade deficit.

And he did not promise to work to reinstate a trade law that would retaliate against countries that keep their markets closed.

Of course, in light of Clinton's other picks, Brown isn't too surprising. Directionless Warren Christopher (at State) and single-minded Leon Panetta (as budget director) are terrible choices.

The Harvard union negotiations have been an embarrassment from the start. Marred by backstabbing and dishonesty on both sides, negotiators have not been able to reach a new agreement for months.

Now we find out that Bill Jaeger, the director of the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers, is telling everyone an agreement has been reached. The Globe and Herald both reported yesterday that HUCTW and the administration have finally ended talks--but only the Herald reported the minor fact that the administration denies this.

John H. Shattuck, the official leading the administration's effort, maintains there is no agreement.

As I've said before, someone's lying here. One possible explanation is that Jaeger is lying, hoping that by announcing an agreement, Harvard will have to comply or look shady. Or Shattuck could be going back on Harvard's word because someone in the administration didn't like the final version.

Whatever the case, these kids should end their stupid bickering and finish this thing. Too much is at stake for Shattuck and Jaeger to keep playing games.