Reporter: It's been a while. I haven't seen you around much lately.

Peever: Yea. I been laying low. I hear I upset the Anderson brothers, you know, Larry and Louie. One of their wives must be a nurse.

Reporter: The way you write, surely that kind of feedback don't upset you?

Peever: No, actually I think it's great. It helps me to sleep at night, knowing I've peeved someone.

Reporter: Let me try to get you on target here.

Peever: Good luck. I seldom go to Target.

Reporter: Get serious. What do you think about the up-coming election?

Peever: Oh come on. I'm already tired of listening to Tweedley De and Tweedley Dumb. Gore's campaign must have been thrown off by the time change, and George W. says about the same thing every time he speaks: nothing.

Reporter: So you're not too happy with the candidates?

Peever: I'm sure one of them will make a good President. Unfortunately, they're not running in Transylvania.

Reporter: What about your take on Clinton at this point of his tenure?

Peever: I think he better start looking for work.

Reporter: What about his accomplishments?

Peever: He's proven that to be President, it's more important to be an accomplished politician than an honest, trustworthy human being. Still, he's better at being President than the last 7 or 8 we've had, and definitely more so than the two vying for his job. He is human and has weaknesses, one of which is obviously women. If affairs disqualifies anyone from becoming President, the pickin's is going to be slim. My worst problem with Clinton: he caved in to the right-wingers. An unforgivable sin.

Reporter: What about this renewal of the Star Wars defense system?

Peever: It was a dumb idea when Reagan had it, and it continues to be a dumb idea.

Reporter: But all these rogue countries that now have nuclear capabilities?

Peever: Where do you think they got these weapons? Good old American capitalism at work. If one of these countries decides to send us back some of our goods air-mail, I hope they aim it at Washington, or maybe Reagan's peace garden in Eureka. What goes around comes around.

Reporter: What about the census?

Peever: We spend billions of dollars counting millions of idiots. I call it the Senseless Census.

Reporter: I heard you recently gave the Rotary something to think about?

Peever: Yea, that will be a new experience for them.

Reporter: What about county government?

Peever: It's coming along. Of course, so is the next millennium.

Reporter: What about the city?

Peever: Which one?

Reporter: Galesburg.

Peever: I figured. A few gun happy people here lately. The City Council seems to be settling down some. I got a great idea. Let's put them on that Survival program. All seven of them and the city administrator on an island. Which one would survive?

Reporter: Your pick?

Peever: That's a no-brainer. The island.

Reporter: What's your take on Knox College?

Peever: New president, new ideas, new personnel. Millman's the man. That's how it works. My guess is they will remain as isolated as ever.

Reporter: What do you think about trading with China?

Peever: Big companies will love it, labor will not. China represents one gigantic sweat-shop to these guys. Five dollars pay for a ten hour work day. This is a CEO's dream come true. I suppose the whole thing is inevitable. We were once in the same position.

Reporter: What about the World Trade Organization?

Peever: This is a group of rich people wanting to get richer. I would not trust this group as far as I could see them. They have no respect for indigenous peoples, for local traditions, for the poor. The world is endangered by such a group.

Reporter: You've talked about genetically altered seeds?

Peever: They're bad. It's a con job. A small group of people want control of the world's agricultural output. It's a cleverly conceived corporate plan to bring huge profits to a few companies. Monsanto leads the pack. However, I believe local agriculture will prevail. These companies and scientists forget, The Seed is the essence of life. No one can control it. It represents much more than just genetics, or genetic manipulation, or the making of money. It has elements of history and culture interwoven throughout its make-up. The world will rise up in defiance of anyone trying to control the beginning of life. These people will not succeed.

Reporter: We covered a lot of ground. Any last thoughts?

Peever: Did I answer you honestly, or did I feed you a line of baloney?

Reporter: Which?

Peever: You decide.



Uploaded to The Zephyr Online June 14, 2000

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