Hammer Nailed

Stripes or Prison Orange? Not an easy choice...

I guess everyone's already heard or read about DeLay's decision...Time had the scoop, YRHT was my original source, and the big blogs have additional angles and perspective.

For me, a couple of things stick out: first, DeLay is completely lacking in any measure of class...duh...but, I'll bet that's actually an asset both in Sugarland, and, sadly, in DC these days. Second, from Hullabaloo, there's a very telling excerpt from a link that I can't get to (I think it's subscription only anyway, but I'm getting a "page can't be displayed" error):

Conservative leaders are crafting plans to launch a public campaign to defend House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas).

The move follows a meeting last week among DeLay, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the chief deputy majority whip, and nearly two dozen conservative leaders, including David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council; Morton Blackwell, president of the Leadership Institute; and Edwin Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation.

Perkins, Keene and Feulner called the meeting, according to participants.

"It was a rallying cry to our conservative community that we are under assault. We need to fight back. We're going to have a challenging year with the judicial issue bubbling up in the senate and the impact it may have on our ability to get things done," said Cantor, who said he described to the group how Democrats and liberal groups have waged a coordinated battle to raise doubts about DeLay’s conduct.

Oyster notes the "defense" is now officially a legacy matter; however, I find it instructive: the wingnut crowd, as it has for literally decades, insists it's "under assault." And being "under assault," justifies in their miniscule, mediocre minds, any and all tactics.

Which explains a lot: from Ronald Reagan glorifying the murders of Cheney, Schwerner, and Goodman, to the sheer personal viciousness in their attacks on the Clintons--well, to them, it's "mere defense." That they are far from being "under assault," and, instead, literally represent a hugely pampered constituency, doesn't even make the radar screen.

Tom DeLay thinks he's being persecuted because he likes to play golf. Seriously--read the Time article. Ha. If there was any genuine justice in the world--and if Tom REALLY had to serve some hard time as opposed to a few years at Club Fed (assuming he's convicted) he'd gain a whole new understanding of what it's like to be "under assault." Same with Scooter, Karl, Jack, Tom (Noe that is), Duke...and Dick 'n Dubya too.

Update: On my way back to work after lunch, I heard some DeLay hack-apologist on NPR describe Bug Boy as a "man of conviction." You know, I think he might be right.