WP: DeLay's Backers Launch Offense

[quaoar]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40496-2005Apr9.html

Conservatives Say GOP Is Threatened

By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 10, 2005; Page A04

Allies and friends of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Tex.) have concluded that public attention to his ethics is unlikely to abate for months to come, and they plan to try to preserve his power by launching an aggressive media strategy and calling in favors from prominent conservative leaders, according to Republicans participating in the strategy sessions.

The Republicans said the strategy combines leaks from DeLay allies about questionable Democratic trips and financial matters; denunciations of unfavorable news stories as biased, orchestrated rehashes; and swift, organized responses to journalists' inquiries.

The resistance was launched two weeks ago when DeLay flew back to Washington from Texas during Easter recess to speak to a group of about 30 conservative leaders who had gathered in the conference room of the Family Research Council for a call to arms on his behalf.

Officials working with DeLay said he is trying to lock in support by sowing the message that an attack on him is an attack on the conservative movement, and that taking him out would be the Democrats' first step toward regaining control of the House and Senate. These officials said they believe the attacks are part of a strategy by Democrats, aided by watchdog groups funded by liberals, to use the ethics process to try to regain power.

[KittyWampus]

1. None Is Indispensable... Except Rove

[bluestateguy]

2. it's time for Larry Flynt to get involved

Wasn't he sitting on a story about DeLay and a Mexican prostitue?

I'm not saying the rumor is true, but it is out there }(

[Jim Sagle]

It sure is. I read it on the internet, somewhere.

;)

[Jim Sagle]

24. Dupe post - self-deleted.

[Kimber Scott]

3. Everybody just needs to give the guy some rope.

He'll hang himself. No question about it.

[rodeodance]

5. "an attack on him is an attack on the conservative movement"--He

will rile up a lot of conservatives with this media message

[Pirate Smile]

9. He wants to be the face of the Republican Party - GREAT!

So he has decided that if he is going down, he is taking his entire party with him?

:evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Sounds good to me

I will enjoy watching him take the party down with him.

:popcorn: :evilgrin:

[JoFerret]

14. So...let the timing play

to advantage. Drip, drip, drip of his poison in the run-up to the midterms.

No reason to rush into things.

[TwentyFive]

19. I think you are right.

DeLay is one angry, sick motherf*ck*r. If he goes down, you know he'll make sure others go down with him.

[0007]

26. I hope Tom Craddick is ready to go down with DeLay.

The Texas House Speaker claims he's only a bag-man and didn't know it was champaign money that was in the bag he was delivering.

[stevedeshazer]

23. Yes, the longer this drags out, the better

The very first sentence in the article could be the best outcome:

"...public attention to his ethics is unlikely to abate for months to come..."

:) :popcorn:

[lyonn]

27. What a guy

One heck of a god fearing fellow. Could we possibly hope he could bring the whole party down?

[4dsc]

34. Exposing the truth is attacking

when it concerns a conservative or dog like Delay. If conservatives expose the truth about liberals, its called a scandal or worse in the so called liberal media!! HA!!! See how the article is "framed"...

We need to keep the framing on our side of this issue!! Delay is unethical and that's the truth..

[struggle4progress]

41. Tom DeLay -- perfect poster boy for the conservatives:

"When you're thinking about Republicans, you should be thinking about DeLay!"

[Strelnikov_]

6. Agree. Seems To Be A Consensus That We Want The Bug Man

to still be around at the midterms.

Why is no one addressing job outsourcing? Corrupt Congress.

Why are energy prices going through the roof? Corrupt Congress.

Why no investigation into war profiteering? Corrupt Congress.

Trade deficit? Corrupt Congress.

Budget deficit? Corrupt Congress.

Two can play at this game.

[Frances]

8. I don't think so

The people that support DeLay will stop at nothing to keep their power.

These are the same kind of people who defended slavery and segregation. They will NOT give up their power. It must be taken from them (legally and non-violently).

[Kimber Scott]

21. Oh, but Grasshopper... you must sit quietly and don't move if you want

to catch a snake.

[thebigidea]

29. yeah, because that tactic has worked great thus far

[Kimber Scott]

40. Who's in the news? Why are we even talking about this? Is it because

we're "persecuting" poor, Mr. DeLay, or because of what he's done himself? It seems the more rope he gets, the more he wraps it around his neck.

[President Kerry]

25. how about when they got that power ILlegally to begin with?

[Strelnikov_]

4. "Strategy By Democrats . . Use The Ethics Process To Regain Power"

So they do not feel there should be any electoral fallout from their unprecedented level of corruption?

What a bunch of dipshits.

[Beguine]

7. Oh, those naughty Democrats...

using poor Mr. DeLay's lack of integrity and unethical behavior against him. What a mean, underhanded trick!

...on a completely unrelated note, have you heard about Clinton and the intern?

[Lexingtonian]

10. I like it

Let's see how long this trick works. They'll kill him off themselves when they see it's going to take them all down- not that that's likely to help a whole lot. A year and half is a longggg time to try to survive this sort of exposure...which is going to continue rather than end.

The more of them fall, the merrier.

[TahitiNut]

11. Every time I read the words "conservative movement" ...

... I think of turds plopping in a latrine. Smelly creatures them.

[Old and In the Way]

13. ever see a conservative eat?

Nothing conservative about their turds...

:-)

[truthisfreedom]

28. delay can provide the laxative in the conservative movement and help

them all along to their inevitable destination. the shitter.

[burythehatchet]

33. I think you've stumbled onto the mother of all slogans

DeLay: Laxative for the conservative movement.

[Robbien]

15. Violent? Corrupt? Thuggish? Who me? says Delay

Well, the answer is lets do some advertising.

Right, that will do the trick.

[annabanana]

16. Book passage on a sinking ship......

By all means....All Aboard! The more the merrier.

[annabanana]

17. but... he is NOT a conservative!

He is a radical nutcase and he has been exposed!

[Old and In the Way]

18. "Offensive" is the right choice of words.

Maybe a bunch of lobbyists will host a $10,000/seat "I'm Not a Crook" dinner for him.....

[Straight Shooter]

20. "the strategy combines leaks from DeLay allies ..."

I guess we need to be prepared for a long, steady, stinking stream of "some people say."

And the true conservatives, the marrow of the Republican party, are asking themselves, "Who will rid us of this troublesome DeLay?"

[oxbow]

31. Translation: Let the rumor-mill begin!

Where's Swift Vet's when you need them?

[despairing optimist]

22. Can anyone say Transferrence?

A little more than 30 years ago, such treatment was reserved mostly for, um, presidents, veeps, and other White House higher-ups. And now DeLay is thrown to the dogs as a more or less rancid piece of meat. They should at least cover him in fresh barbecue sauce, but should it be tomato-based or mustard-based?

And when do we get the main course? The strategy is to serve up DeLay and cause so much indigestion that no one has any appetite for more. I don't think it will work, though. Nice try, guys.

[Dave Sund]

30. Playing right into our hands...

The more they fight back, the more DeLay stays in the spotlight. And, by uniting around DeLay, they not only make him the face of the party, they go on the record in support of a morally bankrupt individual. It's perfect. Between Bush's disasterous Social Security plan and Tom DeLay, the GOP is giving us a great opportunity to win back Congress.

We just have to take advantage of it.

[oxbow]

32. Agreed. Sticking with him just makes it all the easier

to paint all them with the same brushstrokes.

[DrZeeLit]

35. This is so interesting. The question is why? Rpubs dropped Lott faster

than gen X dropped Pauly Shore. Lott was gone after one gaff.

So, ya gotta ask... what gems, what dirt, what gold mine of info, does DeLay hold in his grubby little paws?

He's goin' down. Then, as his little plane is flyin' from DC to TX, somewhere over the Applachians, it will have engine difficulty. Oooh, sob sob... poooooor Tom DeLay. Can you say HALF MAST?

That is sooo too good for him. I hope he's skewered AND then SINGS, SINGS, SINGS!

Ya think Fox would cover that story? Mmmmmmm?

[spanone]

36. Losers backing a loser. Good strategy.

[devinsgram]

37. Ahhhhhhh

I see, the attacks are part of a strategy by democrats. Now who's talking about conspiracy theories.

[DemoTex]

38. Hammerin', yammerin' , stammerin' DeLay.

DeLay is in a political vegetative state. I can't imagine that he has any "supporters" who he didn't buy with cold, hard cash. Pull the plug. Go kill some bugs, Tom.

[go west young man]

39. Ronnie Earl has the right idea..

slow and steady build a case.