http://thinkprogress.org/2006/10/04/hastert-interview/

Now he's avoiding and evading the press, with his staff lying to cover up. The clock is ticking -- how much longer before the beached whale dies of exposure? (God, I love that image -- so glad I thought of it!)

...fat jokes ought to be out-of-bounds. I do try to resist such low, ad hominem attacks, but sometimes the urge overwhelms. People are disgusting because of what they do (or don't do), because of their looks.

But I bet almost every person posting to War Room would LAUGH HARD at a photo-shopped image similar to my earlier comment if it were to appear on The Daily Show. Be honest -- you KNOW you would!

In any case, I take full responsibility, and don't blame anyone or anything else -- not even alcoholism or molestation by clergy during my teen years. Just my sometimes juvenile sense of humor that's at fault...

Of course, I meant to say, "People are disgusting because of what they do (or don't do), NOT because of their looks."

*sigh* Sorry.

Here in Ohio, whenever a state-wide issue appears on the ballot (referendum, amendment to the constitution, etc.), text is prepared to explain the pro and con positions. It's approved and made available well before the election, and is provided at the polling place, right with the ballot.

I assume something similar takes place in Florida -- so if state elections officials want to prepare a statement explaining why Negron's name doesn't appear on the ballot, but that any vote for Foley will go to Negron by default, fine. Why, then, should Mahoney and the Democrats not be permitted to prepare parallel text detailing exactly WHY this "special circumstance" arose? Again, if an informed electorate is the goal, why arbitrarily limit it?

Anyone else detect the smell of several state and federal lawsuits brewing?

October 05, 2006

Alert: Hastert To Take Blame

In a press conference scheduled for noon CT in Illinois, House Speaker Dennis Hastert plans to accept some measure of responsibility for failing to discover Rep. Mark Foley's misconduct with pages, a House official said this morning. " He is taking responsibility because the buck stops with him," the official said.

Hastert won't resign "because that would be giving into the Democrat party’s best wish," the official said.

He is expected to make several announcements, including one about revisions to the page program.

Posted at 12:46 PM

Anyone want to speculate on whether Mr. Freeh's anticipated investigation can possibly provide even an interim report on the Foley scandal BEFORE the upcoming Nov. 8 Election Day?

Um, I am going to guess the answer is "No." Let's just hope that the opening of such an investigation doesn't cause sources of relevant information to dry up for the American public. Beware, folks -- such a ploy could successfully stifle this issue long enough to get past the election.

I'm just amazed at the shallow, short-sighted analysis of so many people.

YES, OF COURSE the twin debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan are immeasurably more important than l'Affaire Foley. So, obviously, is the Republican assault on basic human rights and our Constitutional rights.

But if negative reaction to Foley FINALLY gets the country to the tipping point, stripping control of Congress (and thereby, absolute control of the federal government) from Bush and his acolytes, GREAT. We should milk the unexpected gift of the Foley scandal for all it's worth, reaping the benefits in November and afterward.

Politics is often described as "the art of the possible" -- well, truly reality-based people have to recognize this fact: NOTHING, repeat NOTHING, of substance can possibly change until and unless GOP control of Congress ends. It's just impossible for many reasons, both good and (mostly) bad.

How quickly do you think a huge chunk of current Republican support in Congress will melt away from Bush after they lose a majority in one or both houses of Congress? It will make our collective heads SWIM.

...he didn't say he was "taking responsibility" for how the Foley scandal has been handled. He said he was "taking RESPONSIBULLITY."

I had to get out my new edition of Websters Semi-Abridged Dictionary of Politics and Rhetoric (it's the one that now lists "truthiness", of course). Not surprisingly, it comes from the root word "responsibull":

- - - - - - - - -

responsibull (adj)

1 a : never liable to be called on to answer

2 a : unable to answer for anyone's conduct and obligations; b : unable to choose for oneself between right and wrong

3 : marked by or involving responsibullity or accountabullity

4 : politically answerable to no one

- - - - - - - - -

It's all so CLEAR now, isn't it?