Delay Calls it Quits
April 4th, 2006Whoa.
I thought he was fighting it out. I wonder if Abramoff’s cooperation with the feds had something to do with his resignation, despite what Delay claims:
“The Abramoff investigation has nothing to do with me,” he said. “I’ve never broken a law, nor the spirit of the law.”
Time magazine has an exclusive.
“I paid lawyers to investigate me as if they were prosecuting me,” he said. “They found nothing. There is absolutely nothing — no connection with Jack Abramoff that is illegal, dishonest, unethical or against the House rules.”
Does anybody buy that (besides the usual GOP “yes” people)? I wonder what, if any effect Delay’s resignation is going to have on mid-term elections.
UPDATE: Here’s a Guardian op-ed about the resignation.o
I consider myself politically conservative (no flames please) and I will say “No,” I do not believe that he hasn’t done anything wrong.
And don’t you just love his ‘nobility’? Anticipating a huge smear campaign by Democrats, he’s stepping down so that another NeoCon will have a shot at his seat instead of a liberal Democrat. God forbid someone with scruples actually win an election in Texas.
Wouldn’t it have been better to just let them remain their own country?
I suspect two things:
1) Democrats will get the foolish idea that their problems are being taken care of and will (once again) not bother voting. You’d think they’d learn by now that they should NEVER sit on their asses when it comes to politics. The fiasco in 2004 tells me that the Dems in general still don’t “get it.” (Clue-by-four, anyone?)
2) GOP apologists will become enraged and will double their efforts to mobilize GOP supporters for the mid-term elections. And odds are good they’ll succeed.
In other words, I am going to be pessimistic and say nothing is going to change. I sincerely hope I’m proven wrong, though.
When I am feeling too happy and need to get a little depressed I read this http://www.beyonddelay.org/
This seems so passive-agressive to me. The Delay of five years ago would have kept fighting, instead he’s mailing it in.
Good riddance, I say. But, I don’t think this makes the Democrat’s cause any easier – it’s better to know your competition.
“I paid lawyers to investigate me as if they were prosecuting me,” he said. “They found nothing.”
I paid hookers to have sex with me, and they said I was fantastic…
I think he’s taking the money he was going to use to pay for his upcoming reelection campaign (you know, the money he gained through bribes) and use it to pay for his lawyers and his defense.
I’m not kidding.
I’m sure with all of the scandal, he knew he couldn’t beat a democrat, but perhaps someone else could? I believe he was opening the door for some other republican (sans scandal) to possibly win.
My guess on this one is that the Dems take the win. *tear*
(I’m a republican)
Oh my word, Tim, your comment made me laugh. How true! (The analogy – not the fact that you’ve paid hookers to have sex with you.)
Given the power base DeLay has developed, I wonder if a “real” GOOP candidate will run, or if he has a DeLay puppet lined up . . .
Somehow this just seems too cheerful and easy.
The first story I read about DeLay stepping down was this one by David Espo. The following statement gave me pause:
“DeLay blamed “liberal Democrats” for making his re-election campaign largely a negative one that threatened the Republican hold on the seat. He portrayed his decision to resign as a fatal blow for the fortunes of his opponent, Democrat Nick Lampson, who has garnered national attention – and financial support.
“It will no longer be a national race like it was … His money will dry up,” DeLay said. “This is probably the worst day of his campaign because he knows that any Republican who replaces me on the ballot will win this seat.”
This tells me what happened – DeLay stepped down under pressure from the Republican National. He was going to take a lot of resources and mobilize the left, not only in his home district, but nationwide.
Personally, I’m bummed. I’m so far left some have called me a Socialist, but I love that every time this guy said something outrageous, the DNC could put it on a mailer and raise a couple million from the party faithful.
Interesting stuff, for sure.
Lord. I suck at this stuff. I put the link stuff in my comment, but it got scrubbed in some manner that I don’t understand.
At any rate, here’s a low tech direction to the story about which I commented.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060404/D8GP8D008.html
sorry.
I agree with Kevin…I’m an independent who leans more conservative and I doubt he’s done nothing wrong. I’m not sure I’ve spoken to anyone who thinks he’s completely morally and legally innocent
ìI paid hookers to have sex with me, and they said I was fantastic…î
Tim you’re fantastic!
Any who, I seriously hope this is not some martyr trick he’s going to try to use in hopes he comes out looking like a peach in the end and in return tries to earn a nomination for the presidency….I know, it’s pretty sick-twisted and far fetched as a conspiracy theory goes, but those republicans (no offence anyone) approach politics like a heated game of chess. (maybe I should just say politicians in general) He did after all win the primary in Texas, although that is no grand achievement since there are maybe two democrats in the state not counting myself. What was he afraid of loosing? Then again, he could just be guilty as sin and running like a dog with his tail behind his legs.
Although I can’t say that I’m sad to see him go, I do think this helps the Republicans cause more than hurts it in the upcoming elections. It’s better to have a whipping boy in the fray than on the sidelines.
Though, it does seem out of character for a man whose own hubris had him smile like he’s just kissed a baby on the campaign trail while posing for his own mug shot. With the ever-multiplying plea-deals amongst former Delay staffers ( http://tinyurl.com/mvkzh ), my guess would be the Feds are inching closer to soemthing.
I don’t believe Delay’s resignation will have any effect on mid-term elections. Democrats still have no leader. I’m a republican and relish this fact.
McDonie – As a Republican, wouldn’t you want better representatives of your party? As previously noted by other posters, it’s likely that a DeLay supporter/puppet will take his place. Just out of curiosity, what values make you a Republican? As a Libertarian, I find it increasingly difficult to get on board with either of the major parties because of the extreme unchecked corruption (although this appears to finally be a check!).
Tim – Priceless!
Amanda M – Rest assured, there are more than 2 Dems here in Texas. Just not a majority.
I have recently joined the growing legions of pissed off republicans, but even before my conversion Delay was no. 2 only to Cheney on my list of top 10 most evil bastards. That freakin plastic smile makes me violent. What actually started me down my angry road was the millions of dollars tucked into the $286.4 billion 2005 transportation bill for his district. Was this just good old fashioned pork-belly politics or was it done because they knew of the ensuing scandal that he would be facing in his re-election year. The cynic in me says, “YES! You retard how could you even ask!?” So anyway he is gone, good riddance, in a perfect world by this time next year he would be bunking up in Huntsville, TX OZ-style. One can only dream… Does anyone know how much of that pork was “given” back? I can’t find anything about it, and I would imagine our leaders would not do it quietly, if it was done.
[link removed because commenter didn't follow blurbomat.com policy. USE TINY URL PLEASE.]
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/wm852.cfm