To The GOP: Let Me Save You From Yourselves

[journalist3072]

I'm a very compassionate person here.

So to our Republican friends, allow me to save you from yourselves.

Courtesy of the Washington Post, it has come to my attention that you are planning an all-out sleeze fest for the final 60 days of this fall campaign season, looking for dirt on Democrats everywhere.

Well, you've been down this road before (i.e. 1998). And past practice has shown that when you attacked Democrats on personal issues, you own houses weren't exactly in order.

Does the name Henry Hyde ring a bell for you, my Republican friends? It should. He was the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee when that Committee launched impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton for a consensual sexual relationship with another adult.

If you remember Henry Hyde, you might also remember that while he was sitting in judgement of President Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky, it came to light that Henry Hdye had had his own extracurricular activities. Yes, he cheated on his wife as well, while he was in his 40's. But he wrote it off as a "youthful indiscretion." Yes, Henry Hyde believes that when you stray from your marriage vows in your 40's, it's just a "youthful indiscretion." In other words, no big deal.

Let me drop another name on you. Bob Livingston. Remember him? He was elected by House Republicans to succeed Newt Gingrich as Speaker of the House. This was in the midst of the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton. Well, old Bob never actually got to be Speaker of the House. You see, it was revealed that he had his own extracurricular activities too. And so he left his position.

So you see, the moral of the story is this: whether it's your personal life, or your business dealings, etc...your own houses aren't exactly a shining example for others to follow. You might want to keep that in mind as you undertake this 60 day sleeze fest.

[Brian Stevens]

1. I was expecting maybe the word....

BANG

[Jackpine Radical]

2. But you misunderstand---Puggy indiscretions are private, personal

issues, and the media, out of a fundamental sense of decency, would never touch a story like that.

Especially when they have all those juicy Democratic scandals, or at least accusations (like Kerry's nonexistent affair), to busy themselves with.

[journalist3072]

4. I had forgotten all about the Kerry affair that wasn't.

They were so busy swift-boating him; I forgot that they tried to insinuate some affair on his part too.

Thanks for that reminder!

[Marr]

3. I'll tell you what could neuter this GOP sleaze campaign in a second:

On top of your own suggestion of counter-attack, of course:

Every time the GOP brings up some new allegation or innuendo, connect it to Bush's illegal domestic spying. Say that the GOP is illegally wiretapping their political opponents, and when they can't find any dirt, they just make some up.

Better yet, see if they can't be caught actually doing this. Have a few politicos make phone calls discussing potentially damaging (though demonstrably innaccurate) info on Democratic candidates, and see who bites. Record the calls. Pull the same thing Rove did on Dan Rather, in other words.

[journalist3072]

5. In other words: the GOP= J. Edgar Hoover of the 21st century

That should be our motto.

GOP= J. Edgar Hoover

I was just sitting here thinking back to the speech that Joseph Lowery gave at Corretta Scott King's funeral, and he connected the dots between what the King family went through when they were spied upon by Hoover's FBI, and the domestic spying program of today.

He connected those dots, and the GOP flipped a lid. No wonder.