Thursday, October 05, 2006
Hastert struggles to keep the base
MSNBC ends their report on the Congressional Republican Page Sexual harassment Gay Internet Sex Scandal, (here after referred to as Foleygate in this post) thusly:
The fact is that Foley's behavior was not egged on by Democrats. Nancy Pelosi was not holding a gun to Foley's head as John Murtha manipulated the fingers of the predator in order to make those "overly friendly" emails. No Democrat hypnotized Foley into taking time off a vote in order to diddle a page over the internet. This monster is quite simply a Republican creation.
Furthermore, after Foley's little monster was discovered Republicans had the ability to strangle it in the crib. It was the Republican determination to just warn the pages to stay out of Foley's sphere of influence that allowed the monster to live and grow. How creepy is it to know that while Foley was giving those emotional farewells to the pages from the House floor, that those same pages had been warned about his behavior.
Indeed this must look like a particularly ferocious and loathsome monster from Mr. Hasterts perspective. When he first became aware of this beasty it was just a cute little ogre baby involving Foley and some creepy email. Now it has mestatized to something that directly threatens to decapitate Republican leadership of the Congress. So now he wants his constituents to believe this monster is a problem created and fostered by the Democratic party.
I'm certain that there is a certain portion of the population that honestly believe Hastert has a case. Consider the repeated examples of Fox and other media incorrectly labeling Foley as a Democrat. Consider the koolaid drinking pundits who insist (despite ample evidence that the whole affair was brought to light by Republicans) that Democrats held this under their belts until the month before the midterm election. There is an ample audience for Hastert's discombobulation. But the deeper truth is this.
There are large portions of the Republican parties religious base that can not tolerate the thought of their vote contributing to the continued power holding of people who would knowingly hide a gay pedophile in their midst. Indeed the voters in Foleys district are actually being asked to cast a vote for him, in order to elect a Republican replacement. Could any truly moral person cast that vote? Whatever justification you may put upon that vote, to ask a person with any moral standing to actually vote for Foley is beyond the pale.
Also, consider that to cast a vote for a Repulbican house member while Hastert remains as house leader is to indirectly support a leader who is responsible for not ending Foleygate three years ago. When the leadership is chosen do you honestly expect any Republican house member to vote for Nancy Pelosi or John Murtha? Of course not. Voting for a Republican is voting for Republican leadership of the House or Senate.
Foleygate goes to the core of the Republican base. Hastert must make this a Democratic issue, as must the rightwing media and wingnut punditry. The only question remaining is how many more "family values voters" will turn their back on the Republicans due to the blatant dishonesty of the argument being used in a desperate attempt to keep them on board. Isn't there a commandment that prohibits bearing false witness? How quaint.
[Republican Speaker of the House Dennis] Hastert said "people funded by George Soros," a liberal billionaire who has plowed millions into this and other election campaigns, want to see the scandal blow up. And he warned that when the GOP "base finds out who's feeding this monster, they're not going to be happy."I absolutely agree with Mr. Hastert believe it or not. Much as a broken clock is correct about the time twice daily, speaker Hastert has hit upon a truth. Upon consideration this truth shows a tremendous danger for Republican candidates across the nation.
The fact is that Foley's behavior was not egged on by Democrats. Nancy Pelosi was not holding a gun to Foley's head as John Murtha manipulated the fingers of the predator in order to make those "overly friendly" emails. No Democrat hypnotized Foley into taking time off a vote in order to diddle a page over the internet. This monster is quite simply a Republican creation.
Furthermore, after Foley's little monster was discovered Republicans had the ability to strangle it in the crib. It was the Republican determination to just warn the pages to stay out of Foley's sphere of influence that allowed the monster to live and grow. How creepy is it to know that while Foley was giving those emotional farewells to the pages from the House floor, that those same pages had been warned about his behavior.
Indeed this must look like a particularly ferocious and loathsome monster from Mr. Hasterts perspective. When he first became aware of this beasty it was just a cute little ogre baby involving Foley and some creepy email. Now it has mestatized to something that directly threatens to decapitate Republican leadership of the Congress. So now he wants his constituents to believe this monster is a problem created and fostered by the Democratic party.
I'm certain that there is a certain portion of the population that honestly believe Hastert has a case. Consider the repeated examples of Fox and other media incorrectly labeling Foley as a Democrat. Consider the koolaid drinking pundits who insist (despite ample evidence that the whole affair was brought to light by Republicans) that Democrats held this under their belts until the month before the midterm election. There is an ample audience for Hastert's discombobulation. But the deeper truth is this.
There are large portions of the Republican parties religious base that can not tolerate the thought of their vote contributing to the continued power holding of people who would knowingly hide a gay pedophile in their midst. Indeed the voters in Foleys district are actually being asked to cast a vote for him, in order to elect a Republican replacement. Could any truly moral person cast that vote? Whatever justification you may put upon that vote, to ask a person with any moral standing to actually vote for Foley is beyond the pale.
Also, consider that to cast a vote for a Repulbican house member while Hastert remains as house leader is to indirectly support a leader who is responsible for not ending Foleygate three years ago. When the leadership is chosen do you honestly expect any Republican house member to vote for Nancy Pelosi or John Murtha? Of course not. Voting for a Republican is voting for Republican leadership of the House or Senate.
Foleygate goes to the core of the Republican base. Hastert must make this a Democratic issue, as must the rightwing media and wingnut punditry. The only question remaining is how many more "family values voters" will turn their back on the Republicans due to the blatant dishonesty of the argument being used in a desperate attempt to keep them on board. Isn't there a commandment that prohibits bearing false witness? How quaint.
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