Cracks seen in GOP front on DeLay

[leftchick]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/09/30/cracks_seen_in_gop_front_on_delay/

WASHINGTON -- The united front Republicans built to support ousted House majority leader Tom DeLay showed signs of crumbling yesterday, with conservatives threatening a leadership challenge and some moderate Republicans saying they don't think DeLay, facing criminal conspiracy charges in Texas, will ever come back to House leadership.

Members of the conservative Republican Study Committee, upset with Congress's spending, said they are prepared to challenge some of House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's top lieutenants if the case against DeLay isn't resolved by year's end. They warned that the three-way power-sharing arrangement Hastert set up in Delay's absence can't last into the next House session, which begins in January.

''The reality of the ordeal faces is not as rosy as everyone's hopes and aspirations," said Representative Zach Wamp, Republican of Tennessee, who said he plans to seek the number three post, House majority whip, if DeLay isn't back in power. ''Everyone's rooting for Tom DeLay to quash this indictment and prevail. But the realistic view is, this is going to take some time, and therefore the conference has to go forward."

Meanwhile, some moderates who have clashed with DeLay were already speaking as though his temporary resignation from leadership is permanent. Yesterday, as DeLay vacated the majority leader's office space, Representative Christopher Shays, a Connecticut Republican, said it was ''doubtful" that the 11-term Texas Republican would ever return to leadership unless the criminal case ends quickly in his favor.

''He's not going away, but he's not the leader," said Shays, who called for DeLay to resign in April and in January pressed to reinstate the party rule that required members of leadership to step down if they're indicted. ''I don't think we're in limbo now. With all due respect, he's moving out of his office."

[thefloyd]

1. Would not surprise me

Cons smell power.....What better power to have than the Delay political maching

[Canuckistanian]

2. I smell a palace coup

And it's not a pretty smell.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. Yep...some don't forget the heavy handed treatment they got from bugman

[comsymp]

21. And it certainly isn't without precedent

In fact, wasn't it DeLay who tried to topple Newt when they thought he was vulnerable? Why yes, yes it was.

Moral: Don't fuck with Karma.

[asjr]

4. The Repubs make me think of a herd of

Tasmanian Devils--vicious to the point of devouring themselves.

[calimary]

6. Well let's just hope they do.

What's bad and turbulent and self-immolating for them is GOOD for all the rest of us.

I like seeing republi-CONS in turmoil. Keeps 'em off their game. Divide and conquer. The LAST thing we need is to see them all get back into a united front. That's the LAST thing we need. Any splintering and divisiveness should be ENCOURAGED.

[not fooled]

24. With one important distinction:

Tasmanian devils have kind of gotten a bad rap. And, they fill a significant niche in their ecosystem. The 'pukes, on the other hand, neither do anything useful (except for various parisites on society such as the $$$ & defense contactors) nor get a reputation nearly as bad as they deserve.

[superconnected]

5. Every now and then they all turn on each other and start attacking.

It's their true nature.

I love it when they do that.

[ernstbass]

7. Pass the poopcorn - this is gonna be good!!

I meant to say popcorn but poopcorn is probably appropriate w/ repugs.

[Olney Blue]

22. Here ya go.

:popcorn:
:hurts:

Enjoy!

[goforit]

8. How many pugs will choose to sink with him?

[TahitiNut]

9. Tom DeLay's mom must've hung a pork chop around his neck ...

... so at least the dogs acted like they liked him. He carried this lesson into Congress. The Republican dogs followed him around as long as they got a sniff of pork. Well, indictments are sure starting to have their own smell, and the dogs are sniffing elsewhere.

[koopie57]

10. I often wonder about these people

these politicians who stand by each other through all this dirt and crap and they refer to one another as friends. They are so loyal, but do they really like one another? Or are they just using each other or afraid of the power the other has? I wonder what their definition of friendship is?

[indypaul]

11. It'slike Harry Truman said:

If you are looking for loyalty in Washington D.C.
Buy a dog.

[leftchick]

14. you scratch my back etc.....

may they both go down in flames together.

[dutchdemocrat]

12. delay loves to sniff the elephant ass

Chris Floyd dot Com

[zara]

13. Et tu Roy Blount?

Like Brutus, the underlings may rationalize their attack on the king. Look what Frist did to Lott. And Delay, Gingrich. Pounce on a misstep for the good of the party. And the personal gain, well, just a coincidence?

[Uncle Joe]

15. It is the Klingon way. n/t

[Bridget Burke]

16. Nope, they're all Ferenghi.

Klingons are more honorable.

Did you ever hear of a Klingon chickenhawk?

[Uncle Joe]

19. I must agree, you have a good point. n/t

[jazzjunkysue]

26. Cardassian. Come on!

[damntexdem]

17. Let them stew in those juices.

And heat up the pot whenever possible.

[kskiska]

18. I remember how they all applauded Speaker-elect Livingston

when Larry Flynt outed him. The next day he was gone.

[seemslikeadream]

20. Christopher Shays sure is talkin' alot lately

going after Brownie

going after Delay

talkin' about the Plame leak

[leftchick]

23. almost sounds like a democrat

almost. ;)

[regnaD kciN]

25. 'Zach Wamp'...???

I mean, is that just about a perfect name for a southern Republican politician, or what?

:evilgrin:

[JoFerret]

28. So many funny GOP names

Hack Swamp.

[Giant Robot]

27. I would be excited by this but

I think the proof will come when the time comes to make a stand against Delay and the current RNC. Its nice to see this in writing now, and gives me some hope that some of them still have functioning consciences, but I will withhold judgment for now. It just seems I have been excited for the Republican absolute party unity to falter so many times, and it has not yet, that I am just too tired to get my hopes up for that anymore.