November 10, 1994: Open Lines

Art Bell opens the phone lines in the immediate aftermath of the 1994 midterm elections, dissecting the political earthquake that handed Republicans control of both chambers of Congress for the first time in decades. A new NBC poll reveals 55 percent of Americans want Congress rather than the president to lead on policy, and Clinton trails Bob Dole 39 to 45 percent in a hypothetical matchup.

Callers from across the country weigh in on Proposition 187, with Art Bell arguing the measure is constitutional and will force the federal government to fulfill its responsibility on immigration enforcement rather than leaving it to individual states. The discussion turns to GATT and whether the lame duck Congress should vote on the trade agreement, with callers and Art Bell insisting the new Congress should handle it. Mysterious sonic booms rattle windows across San Diego County, prompting speculation about Aurora test flights or military soft-kill technology. A caller from San Diego reveals himself as John Vasquez, the Fort Benning witness from the previous Dreamland episode, reporting he has now located a fellow soldier from Delta Company.

A freewheeling night capturing the raw energy of a political turning point, peppered with unexplained phenomena and breaking developments.