Leading Dems need to take an active role shaping the discussion on Foley,

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

as well as other Republican scandals.

I disagree with the oft expressed sentiment that it's good enough or preferrable to watch the media feeding frenzy and the Republican justifications, excuses, wagon circling and internal fingerpointing. Although it IS enjoyable and easy.

Passivity, even in an apparently winning position, has not yielded good results for the Democratic Party or this country these last several years.

There are many problems with not taking an active role shaping the debate and talking points.

The fickle media may move onto something else before it should, or before we are ready for it to.

The wrong elements of the story may be emphasized and the more important or advantageous aspects not emphasized.

The Republicans, even while playing defense, will CERTAINLY take an active role trying to shape the debate, and in an absence of strong Democratic leadership voices, they might succeed in shifting any discussion to terms favorable to them.


Here are some examples of what I would consider good Democratic talking points to shape this debate:

"I don't think we should be so quick to conclude that Foley has done nothing illegal. There hasn't yet, even now, been any proper investigation of the man. There is every appearance from the emails and IM's that we have that he had a keen interest and fantasy life centered around having sex with teenage boys. While possible, it would seem unlikely that during all his time in Congress, with all of his influence over and access to these pages, that he could well have done more than cybersex given the clear picture of his predilections that we have. In fact some of the communications hint at a rendezvous in San Diego, and we see him suggesting meeting for alcohol at his place via IM. We also see that he was in the Boy Scouts, a group that just now purged him from their membership.

Let's do a proper investigation and see where it leads. Then we can talk about whether he did anything illegal."

Also, already stated numerous times on DU:

"The Republican Congress failed miserably to protect American children from a sexual predator right under their noses. They ignored an obvious threat, looked the other way, because it was one of their own, and their interest in hanging onto power overrode any other consideration including basic morals. How can they possibly be trusted to protect the nation from anything given this track record?" (insert pithy Katrina reference here)

"Hastert and the Republican Congressional 'leadership' cannot plausibly claim that there's no way they could have known the nature of Foley's sick lust after these congressional teenage pages. Given the nature of the emails we DO know about (asking for a boy's picture etc.), to not vigorously investigate this and remove Foley from any contact with the pages until such an investigation concluded, Hastert would have to have been so grossly incompetent and lacking in common sense as to not be trusted with any responsibility. But the truth appears to be much worse. Most likely he and the other Republican leaders knew exactly what was going on and what the emails implied, but simply chose to look the other way, sweep it under the rug, and hope that it would never make it into the news during their lifetimes."

[blm]

1. I like how Kerry linked Foley with Katrina and Iraq policy as culture

of corruption that exists in the Republican party.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

2. Must be done with a "concerned" not gloating tone and demeanor ---

I'd have a hard time not gloating, at least in body language and facial expressions, but then, I am not a pol.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. I think there are merits to either "concerned" OR "gloating/assholish".

The Republicans have certainly not paid any price for acting like major assholes over any Democratic scandal or impropriety.

I'm not saying it's a good thing to be a big jerk over someone else's screwup.

I'm just saying I'm not convinced it's always a losing play either.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

5. Maybe the Dems just need to set up their own investigative committee

and keep that front and center.

[LiberalFighter]

3. Absolutely! The fire dies out if it isn't stoked.

Stoking could be repeating it over and over or adding new fuel to the fire.