The MacNeil/Lehrer Report I guess as it was called back then, now known as the PBS NewsHour was talking about the influence of political pacs, or political action committees on Congressional elections during the 1982 Congressional mid-term elections in the U.S. House and Senate. Pacs are private third-party committees that special interest groups on both the Right and Left set up in order to influence Congressional elections, presidential elections and state elections as well.

Apparently the 1982 Congressional mid-terms were very expensive at least for 1982. And what the Robin MacNeil and Jim Lehrer were looking at was what influence these pacs may of had on Congressional elections. And they interviewed Representative Phil Gramm who received a lot of pac money for his 1982 House reelection campaign. And Senator Bill Proxmire who apparently also received a lot of pac money in 1982.