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Randall Stephenson of AT&T is running scared. Usually docile Republican Congressmen are asking tough questions. Nearly all DOJ and FCC leaders who have to approve the deal believe turning it down is the right thing to do, an insider affirms. He agrees with me they may not have the political courage, however. California and New York State are ready to say no. Word is getting around the deal is not unstoppable. That's exceedingly dangerous for T. Folks speaking out - like Bob Goodlatte - were holding back their personal doubts because they feared resistance was futile.

      Wall Street's take that it's two to one the deal goes through still seems right to me. Cicconi is able to spend over $B to get the deal through, enough for an almost unbelievable amount of political power. Money is the mother's milk of U.S. politics, a California Commissioner reminds me.

      T needs a new strategy. Randall looked incredibly stupid saying ATT=-MO is essential to 97% LTE coverage. They already have all the spectrum they need in rural areas and President de la Vega tells Walt Mossberg AT&T must keep up with Verizon's LTE plans – 97+%. The Broadband Plan CITI-Columbia Report estimated 94% for 2013-2014. It's unbelievable that AT&T would have stopped at 80% as Randall told the House. They can't afford to be destroyed by Verizon's LTE build in the remaining 1/5th of the country. The FCC staff has the facts to decimate the argument that the deal solves the spectrum issue. Randall had no other reasons the deal is in the public interest.

     The notoriously reclusive Randall is personally going to the July 17 NARUC state commissioners' event in LA. By then, he'll have some new ideas, I'd hope. Maybe he'll spend ten minutes with me and answer real questions.