Redstate

...proud to be white?

Senator Byrd, is that you?

He's had that sig for ages, and you pick on it here and now?
--
If you're seeing shades of gray, it's because you're not looking close enough to see the black and white dots.

...is racial pride limited to non-whites?
Just a rhetorical question. I despise racial pride & identity politics. But if it's okay for one group it should be okay for all.

"Suppose you were a congressman, and suppose you were an idiot. But I repeat myself." - Mark Twain

This RINO Rep Foley has been unveiled for who he always was. He was a media favorite because he fought his President & is liberal/moderate.

Recall he dropped from GOP primary for US Senate race earlier this cycle or last. The political insiders heard of rumors he was a homosexual even then. But, he could not win any statewide primary race as the "moderate" Bush-opposing RINO anyway.

He flirts then drops before he loses. Now, he's finally gone.

Tim Mahoney. And the Dems magic number falls to 14.

Today is not a good day.

--
If you're seeing shades of gray, it's because you're not looking close enough to see the black and white dots.

=Tony LaRussa?

Both were made famous by the bay. Maybe both will collapse epically down the stretch this fall.

I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life.-Ronald Reagan

though I have a soft spot for Rocket and Andy, but I'd give that one a 5, Neil.

I'm just thankful he went quickly. If he's broken any laws, I hope he's brought up on charges. Who knows how long he's been using the power of his position for his own sick fantasies.

Ultimately, if it is true that this man was a child predator (as opposed to just being gay) then it is an unqualified good thing that he is out of Congress and maybe going to jail. Party issues aside, that is an unqualified good thing.

A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli

To clarify my original point, I wasn't saying it was a bad day because Foley was resigning, I was saying it was a bad day because a seemingly respectable GOP congressman is resigning a seemingly safe GOP seat in utter disgrace.

Right. Bad that this sort of thing happened, good that a real dirtbag is gone.

I just read the transcript of the instant messaging (which I assume is genuine or he wouldn't have resigned so fast)....

he's going to jail.

A 50+ year old man talking like this to a kid who isn't even 18?

The irony if he goes to jail based on laws he helped pass will be rich, and he deserves whatever he gets.

Nothing better than someone who has been a total hypocrite being hoisted on his own petard--in this case, a pedophile.

NH...

Well that's a great comment on a day like this, nothing about the failings of this man, which appear to be many, but instead warp it into a commentary on party purity and purge of what you consider RINOS. Way to go!

Before you go down that road, remember that it takes the help of those very RINOS and those of us not in the Social Conservative wing of the Republican party to effectively legislate. On top of which, if the Democrats gain a majority in ether house, those you demean to today may be the very help you seek tomorrow.

Another South Park Republican spouting off

Retaining power would not justify holding on to scum like this.

And some would argue that the current crop of Republicans that have prostrated themselves before the alter of "What ever it takes to stay in power" would also be well served by a trip to the wilderness.

"We Suck Less" is not a standard that I can rally to.

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Another South Park Republican spouting off !

Great lady. Our best chance to hold the seat. NRCC will swoop in with the dough. Our odds are slightly better than average.

www.gayleharrell.com

It was either going to be Gayle or Joe. I guessed wrong above. Personally, I think she would have been a better pick for a range of reasons. But Joe Negron is a solid conservative, well known in the district, and will make us proud. We certainly could have done worse.

He has respectable cash on hand from his almost-run for attorney general. That will keep the NRCC from having to dump too much into the race when they are already stretched thin. But it will still require a substantial federal/state partnership to get Negron over the line. We can do it.

But Gerry Studds had an affair with a male page & zip happened.

_______________________________
If "pro" is the opposite of "con", what is the opposite of "progress"?

...I think that this is one time when we're better off not commenting about the faults of the Other Side.

I mean. The blipping chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. Ghandi couldn't resist taking a swing at that if it came across the plate.

The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC.

Just making a point for the sake of historical accuracy. And for the record Franks/Studds have nothing to do with the current situation.

Foley just needs to go away quitely.

_______________________________
If "pro" is the opposite of "con", what is the opposite of "progress"?

That's a "subject matter expert."

What a sicko, and I am embarrassed that he called himself a Republican.

Republican in name only. He is a media darling because of it. Media & Democrats simply hope to get 1 seat closer so they threw their safe RINO ally under the bus.

They still will not gain the Senate nor the House. Rep Goode of VA switched last from Dem to GOP...watch Taylor of MS or others do the same before Dems elect speaker Pelosi by 1 or 2 votes.

Democrats will swing & miss again anyway. Bush & GOP always counted out last 3 cycles then the media recriminations begin...Bush in 2000, Senate in 2002, Presidential in 2004, House in 2006...they will just miss again. Could you not tell the media thought Kerry won weeks before election & all the way til 10PM EST election day?

Election day & aftermath is the fun part that makes tolerable now this psyche game the media wing of the Democrat party play.

Are you suggesting that the correct thing would have been to suppress the story? I really can't wrap my head around your post.

-exits

they'd be celebrating his "diversity" and defending his "choices." Since he's an R, he goes. I think he should go, don't get me wrong, but don't delude yourself about what the Ds would be saying were he one of theirs.

In Vino Veritas

n/t

but then you never know, but in general I think people will write off "over age" stuff, and if it was somebody over 18 diversity might be celebrated, but I am not convinced the majority of dems would seek to defend this with underage boys or girls.

I can always be proven wrong, but I think the diversity card won't go too far given the age of the pages.

I don't care what party like that scumbag is in - if it meant losing control of the House I would still say he should resign immediately and if he doesn't, both parties should vote him out immediately.

To quote shakesphere (from memory) - what good does it do a man to gain the world while losing his soul.

The pages are our children entrusted to the Congress.

an intern?

Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.

in this context and why he should resign. Your party has no history of resignations for aberrant behavior in the area of its just sex: Barney Frank, et al

What exactly, based on liberal democrat "values" is wrong with e-mail sex talk between consenting to read sexual verbiage adults? Which, especially given that fellatio is not sex according to the sexologist in chief and his party, sans Lieberman, in 1998.

This story shows the difference between the parties. Bad behavior has consequences in the GOP, even if no law is broken and its "only about sex."

The age of consent for sex is age 16 in many states. But, this was an obvious moral transgression, unaccompanied by sworn statements in a civil suit. Unaccompanied by obstruction in enlisting others to lie. Unaccompanied by contempt of court fines for perjury.

Yet, a GOP congressman resigns 6 weeks before an election.

The GOP has moral standards.

http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com
www.race42008.com
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." - Ronald Reagan

I thought both Frank & Clinton should have been censured.

The difference here is that this was with a High School student working as a page where Congress is acting as their gaurdian in fact if not legally.

This was a person in a position of trust preying on a child. And it clearly was not concensual.

Frank & Clinton was a consenual relationship with an adult. Although Clinton was arguably into the grey area also of having a position of authority over Monica.

Consent to e-mails vs consent to BJ's. In many states the age of consent to INTERCOURSE is 16. This is about e-mails, and so is much less damning than Frank's illegal activity in running a brothel and Clinton's seduction and ruination of a person.

Foley should have and did resign. His behavior was wrong. But was it illegal? I don't know, but I doubt it, and it certainly was not worse than Bill's if all that occurred was e-mail sex. But more may come out.

But given the difference between intercourse and e-mails and that the age of consent for intercourse is 16, I think the issue is a non sequitur as applies to e-mails.

http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com
www.race42008.com
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." - Ronald Reagan

"Frank & Clinton was a consenual relationship"

Frank and Clinton were an item? What a story! How did I miss that one.

By the way, which Clinton? Nevermind....

Re: This is about e-mails, and so is much less damning than Frank's illegal activity in running a brothel and Clinton's seduction and ruination of a person.

By all accounts Ms Lewinsky was in the seduction business herself. You don't generally snap your undies in someone's face unless it's an invite of somesort. Not that Bill needed much of an invite.
Anyway, I did think Clinton should have resigned. I am not familiarwith the Frank scandal so cannot comment. As for Foley though, cruising underage boys does strike me as a lot more serious than a roll in the hay with an overweight nympho (which actually describes both of them, now that I think of it!)

http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com
www.race42008.com
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." - Ronald Reagan

but if he did, he got it from an older source:

Mark 8:36 (KJV): For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

&

Matthew 16:26 (KJV): For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Retire Lindsey Graham. Support Thomas Ravenel for Senate 2008

but bumpy

I am saying Rep Foley is a known media darling because he is a Republican in Name Only...RINO. The Democrats & media used him & his quotes to hurt Republicans for years and counted on his votes for some liberal/moderate causes. They suppressed these stories then. Today they don't.

Now, they simply need the seat. So, they hit him with what they (& I) have heard about for years. I'm glad they finally came out with it. They had been protecting him for yrs cause he was one of their own kindred souls...well, a cousin once removed perhaps.

that the GOP congressional leadership was aware of Foley's amours with the pages and likewise looked the over way. If that's true (and I will take it with a grain of salt absent proof), some other folks need to have their hands slapped good and hard.

This was an offer they can't refuse.

My God. This is pathetic.

They would fail every time.
Franks was busted for sex with a teenage page and for his male prostitute-roomie running a gay prostitution ring out of Barney's apartment. The dems in charge in those days covered for him, buried both and protected him. The dems best strategy is to get us to apply standards they have no intention of ever applying to themselves.

It was Rep. Studds (what a name...) with the 17 year old page, and Rep. Frank with the prostitute roomie.
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If you're seeing shades of gray, it's because you're not looking close enough to see the black and white dots.

Studds and Frank both like young ones.
barney also likes having his main squeeze close at hand but wants him working ahrd.
But the dems like this. It is all about power for them. Truth, honor, integrity, registered live legal voters...everyting for dems is negotiable.

You forget that Dan Crane was censured at the same time as Studds. Crane was a Republican from Illinois and was cited for inappropriate contact with an underage female page.

Being a pedophile has nothing to do with sexual orientation or party affiliation.

Oh yeah - he didn't get re-elected. Unlike Studds and Frank.

"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill

he has been generally "disappeared" from public life. And he was a second tier Presidential contender too.

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If "pro" is the opposite of "con", what is the opposite of "progress"?

He ran, and his district decided not to send him back. Studds's district did. Neither party did anything to force either of them out or keep them from running, however, so I'm not sure what your point is.

tend to be blacklisted by Republicans and welcomed with open arms by Democrats.

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If "pro" is the opposite of "con", what is the opposite of "progress"?

I'm glad someone here knows what psychologists have been saying for decades: pedophilia has little, if anything, to do with orientation. It's the knee-jerk reaction, among many here, to connect pedophilia with homosexuality, and I had little hope it wouldn't happen, but it's nice to see that someone knows otherwise.

Actually, its not pedophilia unless it involves a prepubescent child.

...like young ones.
...likes having his main squeeze close at hand but...working ahrd.

Sounds like half the men I know, without regard to sexual orientation or political persuasion.

a pedophile, but there is this:

In response to a story in the Aug. 25, 1989, Washington Times, Frank confirmed that he hired Steve Gobie, a male prostitute, in 1985 to live with and work for him in his D.C. apartment. But Frank, who is gay, said Frank campaign button he fired Gobie in 1987 when he learned he was using the apartment to run a prostitution service. The Boston Globe, among others, called on Frank to resign, but he refused. On July 19, 1990, the ethics committee recommended Frank be reprimanded because he "reflected discredit upon the House" by using his congressional office to fix 33 of Gobie's parking tickets. Attempts to expel or censure Frank failed; instead the House voted 408-18 to reprimand him.

A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli

provide a link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/congress.h...

A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli

will eventually learn to stop feeling content with stuffed shirts in supposedly safe seats.

The Democrats can not take the house unless they knock off Republicans in Republican districts the incumbent (by definition) & Pres Bush won.

Our fate is firmly in our hands. Stand fast. Be worried only when the opposing team has their fate in their hands...when they can make the play that *makes* us lose. Instead, now they must not only do well in their air/ground game, they must depend upon us fumbling or not turning out to vote in GOP districts.

Needing one's opponent to screw up is not a strategy. Hope is not a method.

Democrats are destined for disappointment again. You have seen their anxiety in the face of Bush polls numbers, falling gas prices, negative ad "direct hits" on their liberal challengers, yes? Hear about their targeting of new GOP Rep Thelma Drake in VA? She's safe now...Democrat challenger was arrested & plead guilty to assaulting a woman. Splash one more off their radar screen.

So what if we lost a RINO today? We may replace him w/ a conservative--that's what we do at RedState. Convert or defeat RINOs & Democrats.

The scandals are not entirely asymmetric. Democratic representative william jefferson (the guy with the 100k bribe stuffed in his freezer) is such an example. Although he has not resigned, he might as well, as he is up for re-election.

which means his replacement (assuming the dumb people in the Big Easy don't reelect him) will be a Democrat anyway.

A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli

misconstrues and examination of history with an attack. Sort of like clinton needing to lash out against a question, lie in his answer, and still be hailed a great leader.

...to avoid responsibility and accountability, for oneself or one's tribe:

"He did it too!"
"He did it first!"
"He did it worse!"

"They did it too!"
"They did it first!"
"They did it worse!"

Also the "I deny thee" response: "He wasn't really one of us in the first place."

FTR, IANAL...

Title IX
ELECTORS AND ELECTIONS

Chapter 100
GENERAL, PRIMARY, SPECIAL, BOND, AND REFERENDUM ELECTIONS

100.111 Filling vacancy

(4)(a) In the event that death, resignation, withdrawal, removal, or any other cause or event should cause a party to have a vacancy in nomination which leaves no candidate for an office from such party, the Department of State shall notify the chair of the appropriate state, district, or county political party executive committee of such party; and, within 5 days, the chair shall call a meeting of his or her executive committee to consider designation of a nominee to fill the vacancy. The name of any person so designated shall be submitted to the Department of State within 7 days after notice to the chair in order that the person designated may have his or her name on the ballot of the ensuing general election. If the name of the new nominee is submitted after the certification of results of the preceding primary election, however, the ballots shall not be changed and the former party nominee's name will appear on the ballot. Any ballots cast for the former party nominee will be counted for the person designated by the political party to replace the former party nominee. If there is no opposition to the party nominee, the person designated by the political party to replace the former party nominee will be elected to office at the general election. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "district political party executive committee" means the members of the state executive committee of a political party from those counties comprising the area involving a district office.

***

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan

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If you're seeing shades of gray, it's because you're not looking close enough to see the black and white dots.

Or do we really have a regular Joe Republican with this kind of alleged trouble?

If so, there are hypocrites who betray their values: and, hypocrisy is the tribute vice pays to virtue.

But, there are RINOs who play to the media & limosene set's liberal opinions. If he's one of them, let him eat cake.

Keep the eye on the real threat: for there are the openly liberal Democrats who are loyal to their church as state. Who must win to shove their liberal sacrements down our throats. For we will never kneel.

It is up to us citizens to do our own homework on the candidates we choose to vote for. That job does not belong to the party. Or to anyone else but us.

they protect their perverts and criminals. We toss them out.

I didn't see anything about anyone tossing him. Who was responsible for this bit of housekeeping?

Or at leats he asked him to leave. Saw a clip of Hastert saying Foley did the right thing.

express interest in some House leadership position and mysteriously withdraw?

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. -Theodore Roosevelt

Webb wrote a *fictional* book, with *characters* using the n-word. This isn't the same as a person using the word in conversation or towards real people.

Fine...Webb fantasizes about using the N-word. I don't know if that's such a good thing, either.

Best to build up some real literary credibility before making such endeavors - especially if you think you might run for office one day.

the n word is in "to kill a mockingbird." would you say harper lee fantasizes about using the n word? obviously not.

but your larger point is on target. i think webb has some skeletons in his closet about race and women.

Of course, that goes without saying.

My wife writes fiction for a living. Believe me, she does not believe or say everything her characters do.

I think driving down the street shouting racial slurs at blacks and pretending to shoot them to see them run, might validate the feelings in a fictional book, don't you think.

Writing a book as vile as his, fiction or not, indicates a problem, Webb needs to pull out of the race if you ask me.

Do not represent such a break from social norms as what Foley has done. People almost expect corruption from politicians and it isn't as much of a headline when it is uncovered. Even with Clinton, people were able to sympathize and understand how his "incident" happened. How many people out there are going to be understanding and willing to look the other way regarding what Foley did? Not very many, and even less who would admit it if they were.

_______________________________
If "pro" is the opposite of "con", what is the opposite of "progress"?

...(link here) that "Hours earlier, ABC News had read excerpts of instant messages provided by former male pages who said the congressman, under the AOL Instant Messenger screen name Maf54, made repeated references to sexual organs and acts."

So if it ain't true, then ABC is going to end up getting sued all the way down to lowercase status...

The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC.

some there there, I also would like to see everything in context-the full text of the emails and the full IM conversations.

But even if the context of both indicates that the pages were begging him to have sex with them, he is the adult, they are the minors and he has the responsibility to say "no."

I just think the information in context would be nice to see, and small excerpts could give the wrong impression-but given the fact that he doesn't appear to be denying it, and he did resign, I suspect the emails and IM's in full context are more than enough to support wrong doing.

I disagreed with the demotion of Lott for birthday party exaggerations. But, when it comes to the power relationship between elected officials and interns (who, by definition, are above the age of consent) I support a standard that does not require stained dresses, perjury, obstruction of justice, contempt fines, definitions of sex and is, and statements that impeachment battle was badge of honor!!

And even Foley hasn't wagged a finger, noted a smirk, detected a right wing conspiracy, lied about the 90s in nearly every sentence or poked a reporter's knee.

http://devine-gamecock.townhall.com
www.race42008.com
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." - Ronald Reagan

A safe GOP seat could have gotten a new candidate by name on the ballot. ABC has probably been telling the Dems they've got this seat locked up for them for months.

I'd like to know how long ABC has been sitting on this and how long they've had these text messages.

Like the NYT, make sure that releasing bad news on Republicans happens at the best time for dems. Then make sure that bad news on dems comes out at the best time for dems - never.

. . . late on a Friday afternoon is never the best time to release anything.

The orignal SP Times story ran yesterday, but my point was that had this been published, say, last November, a none of the pages selected for 2006 never would have been exposed to his behavior. I am in no way blaming the paper for his actions, but it could have helped put an end to them much earlier.

that it would not have been as useful for the Democrats hopes of taking the House.

up for the Sunday talk shows.

In Vino Veritas

He should have bowed out a long time ago if this was the case.

"Took the nickname Troll long before BlogTrolls existed..."

...So did the House Leadership.
The page worked for Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., who said Friday that when he learned of the e-mail exchanges 10 to 11 months ago, he called the teen's parents. Alexander told the Ruston Daily Leader, "We also notified the House leadership that there might be a potential problem," a reference to the House's Republican leaders.

Full Article

It might actually not be the media's fault this time.

Keep telling yourself that, as the media does its usual hatchet job, painting the GOP as the party of pedophiles over the next few weeks. By Monday, "notified the House leadership that there might be a potential problem" will have become, "Did their best to cover it up."

Look, if the House leadership really believed that Foley was doing something inappropriate, he would have been forced to quietly resign and get help. I think we can agree that there's simply no way Hastert would have let him stay in office, much less co-chair the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, which would have been (and now is) a PR disaster waiting to happen. Obviously, that didn't occur, ergo, the leadership could not have had any clue as to what was going on.

There's an excellent chance that this is going to cost us the House. You can bet the MSM is going to do its best to make sure that happens.

This is Foley's fault and his alone. The media did not make him send inappropriate email and disgusting IM traffic to children.

And if you believe that leadership would not cover this up, look no further than the Catholic Church for an example of people you trust abusing that trust to cover themselves. Leadership knew and kept him on.

or just rumors? If the latter then they were right not to publish (though they should have passed the iumors on to the relevant authorities for investigation). Even if rumorst urn out to be true I don't think the media should wun them publicly without hard evidence. That risks libel charges, as well racheting up the politics of scandal strategy which is already too much in vogue.

a congressmen makes sexual advances on a minor and you want to blame the newspapers. great.

we should all condemn foley and move along.

First of all, it's Katharine Harris, not Kathleen.

That would be the ideal scenario, but...Mark Foley's situation doesn't change the fact that Jeb Bush obviously didn't want to run for the Senate. Dubya couldn't even recruit his own brother for the sake of the party...I don't know why this would change his mind.

Only if Katherine Harris became convinced that she couldn't win the Senate seat would she dropout to run for this one. Even though everyone else seems to be convinced that Katherine can't win, she doesn't at all seem to be. She has said all along, however, that she would drop out only for Jeb Bush.

I think that Tom Gallagher should run for Mark Foley's seat.

had it as K. Harris and wasn't sure when I went full... bad me

however its with an A not an E so I get to fling a small parcel of mud back at you.. bad you (har)

"Took the nickname Troll long before BlogTrolls existed..."

...I realized that after I typed it. I got it correct later in the post, but flubbed it the first mention or two.

He's made it pretty clear he has no interest in going to Washington.

The replacement candidate will likely come from within the ranks of the Florida Senate or the Florida House. And it will be someone who has a good relationship with Governor Bush, who surely will be called upon to rally the troops behind whomever is chosen to be the designee for those who vote for Foley.

Bank on it.

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. -Theodore Roosevelt

it will be someone whose name is easy to spell for the write-in, unlike Texas.

Does he live in this district? He was running for AG before dropping out and had raised some decent money. Boy, if that money was transferable (anyone out there know if that would be the case in FLA?), he could maybe, possibly win the seat. Still probably not, but he'd be much better than nothing.

That's the guy I was thinking of, but I couldn't find where I read that. Thanks.

It's a GOP district and if Negron was big enough to even run for Attorney General, then he obviously should have more clout than the puny Democrat in the race.

Remains on the ballot, I think. So people would have to vote for him to vote for Negron, which will be a hard sell. Plus, Bush only got 54% of the vote there and this year is tougher than 04. That being said, Mahoney's a sleazeball, and it'd be nice to give the district a decent choice.