But further, the public (namely those who reside in DeLay’s district) should consider the character assailing by DeLay’s foes suspect. Sen. Rick Santorum (R–PA) said yesterday on ABC’s This Week:
"Now you may not like some of the things he's done," said Santorum, who is up for re-election next year in Pennsylvania. "That's for the people of his district to decide, whether they want to approve that kind of behavior or not."Two years ago Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) was forced into stepping down as Senate Majority Leader by way of the same tactics. When ambiguous racial comments were made by Lott regarding the late Sen. Strom Thurmond’s bid for the presidency, Lott was immersed into a firestorm that ended in his resignation from Senate leadership.
The GOP should not permit such sophomoric tactics on a second go-around. This formula appears to go as such: Take an allegation to which there is little or weak evidence of, blow it out of proportion, get the liberal media to back your efforts, and force a leader to step down.
My addendum to that formula would be: Continue to lose elections.
Cheap shots like that don’t work. While the opposition may succeed in waging a successful smear campaign, such tactics are not a majority-winning game plan.
Instead, the Democrats should follow the advice of their leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA, 8th) and focus on issues concerning the business of the government. Pelosi said in an AP article last week that the controversy was distracting DeLay from dealing with more-pressing problems.
However, it would behoove DeLay to hold a press conference and be up front about his travel practices to diffuse the situation.It’s political common-sense to do so. When a high-profile politician hides from potentially damaging allegations, he will only be caught looking by the backspin.
Until then, political foes should back off and concentrate on issues with substance.
10 comments:
Republicans are already backing off from supporting DeLay which I think is another political blunder. Lott was forced from the leader position even by his own party for saying "we would not have had all of these problems if Thurmond had been President." That quote is more or less verbatim. The Rep's let the Dem's force him from power over that ambiguous comment? How is that racist? Problems could mean high taxes, a failed social security plan, etc etc. I also love the double standard of Lott making an ambiguous comment like that which one would have to contort to make racist, whereas Sen. Bryd from West Virginia was in the Ku Klux Freaking Klan!! Give me a break, its nonsense and I'll not have it!!
DeLay or the Hammer does not deserve a break, he is a big boy and he has made his bed now he must lay in it.. It is amazing the right wing wanted to run Clinton out of the White House for a Sex Act or was it a lie, but they will not investigate their leader for severe ethical issues
Yes they should focus on the issues just like Pelosi said,and not distract the public with these so called moral issues while the
gop and all their cronies slice up Iraq and America like some Texas apple pie.
I welcome retorts on my blogs. Tear into my arguments if you like. However, I think it only appropriate that if you do so you sign your name to your work. Anyone can make rash remarks. To do so without attaching your name to it is pusillanimous.
I THINK THEY SHOULD TIE A NOOSE AROUND THE HAMMER AND DRAG HIM THOUGHT THE STREETS
Tom Delay is the very worse of the scumb that is in the Congress of the United States. He no more represents the people of his district than do mine, in Georgia!
Anon,
Please enlighten us and give us some in-depth analysis of the actions that make Tom DeLay "scum". Oh and please make sure its not cut and pasted from what you read online. You like making ridiculous claims about people you know nothing about? Try and form your own opinions and stop basing them off of what you glean from others. It's fine if you think he is scum but like I said enlighten me and tell me why. Start your research engines!!
Quite honestly, I never hear a good, logical argument from libs on these issues. You only ever read clever phrases like "cronyism" or comparison's to Clinton (why, I don't know) and references to Texas are always slung in there someplace (see "Texas apple pie").
Good work, people. You showed me the error of my ways. And you succeed in doing so without a name. Nice. Is anonymous the new trend I am missing?
Really though, I am all for having a logical debate on these issues. They are important. But please don’t respond to my blog and not provide any substance.
Give me evidence that DeLay broke the law, hard evidence. Tell me why House Republican's are wrongly defending him through House Rules, and most importantly, tell me how this fits into the Democratic political strategy. I think it's fair to say that I have argued DeLay's foes as ineffective and irrelevant.
I could honestly care less about this issue at the moment. But after reading this retorts to Stonewall's blog, I would like to concur with Stonewall and add...please dont bother to reply to these Blogs if you are too afraid to say who you are. Not only that, but honestly people...lets have some education in these responses...any DA can look at a local paper and quote something...how about coming up with your own opinion? It is easy...I will show you...
Ok...I am thinking....hmmm...making an opinion...oh man..you ready...here it comes..."People who have to cut and paste quotes from other web sites, simply because they are too inadequate to come up with their own opinions, should not allowed to join in the fun of blogging with the rest of the educated world." See how easy that was! Man, making opinions is fun! Ok...Anon...give it a shot...but try not to hurt yourself.
I cited your article in my post, did you not see that??
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