As I Prophecied: Hastert Will Only Retire If It Helps Republicans (Partisan?)

[Brassmask]

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Hastert_Ill_resign_if_it_helps_1005.html

Embattled House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) has told conservative activist Paul Weyrich that he would resign if it would help the Republicans, Congressional Quarterly is reporting.

"He said if he thought that resigning would be helpful to the Republicans maintaining the majority, he would do it," Weyrich said in an interview. "But he did not think it would helpful for Republicans."

Yep, just out to keep power with no regard to his own failings and horrible inactions.

[_JS]

I don't even really want to weigh in on this, but I will.

Just from a rational viewpoint, do you honestly think that Hastert would hide a paedophile amongst the ranks of Republican Congressmen?

What could Foley possibly offer to make it worthwhile? Now, I'll agree that Foley is a worm. He's blaming alcoholism, an unnamed clergyman, and homosexuality for his own faults. It is like he pulled out a book of cliche victimhood.

Maybe Hastert got some bits and pieces and maybe he gave the guy the benefit of the doubt, but I just cannot see a scenario where the Speaker of the House knew everything and went out of his way to protect Foley. Why? It would be political suicide to save a weasel of a character. There's no Faustian deal here. Foley is no kingmaker. Even if you believe Hastert is a Draconian Machievellian Son of a Bitch I can't see an angle to be played here.

I know it is an election year and everything is political and everyone is fair game, but I don't see anything wrong with what Hastert said here. It is just party loyalty to offer yourself up as a sacrifice if you think it would do the party some good. What's wrong with that?

[Brassmask]

Here's the thing.

Hastert's ignoring Foley's "proclivities" isn't that far of a stretch.  Clearly, Foley knew there might be trouble so he was letting everyone know that he wasn't going to run again but even AFTER seeing the emails, Reynolds convinced Foley to run again.

For me, there is no scenario where the Speaker isn't going to know what the situation is with who is running and who isn't and why and what the wherefores are.  Especially GOP-wise.  They're already kind of sweating over the elections because the whole thing is going down the drain in Iraq.  OF COURSE, Hastert is going to look the other way when he gets wise to Foley being "too friendly with the pages".  Of course, Hastert is going to look the other way when Foley writes a fat $100 grand check.  OF COURSE, Hastert would look away from an ephebophile like Foley as long as everyone understood that if it got out, Foley would be instantly gone and they would all play along and feign outrage and put it to bed quickly. 

But that didn't happen in the end.  They thought they had the press in their pocket but Brian Ross wouldn't play ball.  (Ten to one he catches a bullet in the next year or so or winds up on A Current Affair on the skiing-squirrel beat.)

I think that if they thought that all he had done was send some "naughty emails" and hadn't actually raped any underage kids, no one would care.  But unfortunately, they have been hammering on the whole MySpace thing and so parents are in a dither over internet stalkers and "pervs" talking to their kids.  Not to mention, the Dateline guy who catches the "pervs" coming to meet underagers.

This is a case of "leaders" being out of touch with their people and thinking that they can do no wrong and no one ever has to take responsibility for anything.  Ever.

(And I still haven't posted about how YET AGAIN when something that stinks gets in the wind about the GOP, a truly horrible tragedy "unbelievably" happens like the Amish school shootings.  It has been modus operandi for them since 2000.  The GOP gets their ass in a crack, some kids get shot or a bomb goes off in some embassy somewhere or a "plot" is foiled and completely knocks the GOP ass-in-crack story gets knocked back below the fold.)

[BT]

Modifying yopur original charges of a coverup?

Downgrading to out of touch with the people?

Pitiful.

The noise machine sputters.

[Brassmask]

I haven't modified anything.  My point was that they thought they could just cover it up and no one would care.  They never imagined that people would stay awake enough to care about them hiding an cyber stalker in their midst.

Do you ever read posts to figure out what people are saying or do you just read them to see where you think your next post should jump off from?

This is hubris, out of touch with the people and a cover-up.  Everyone can see it plainly.  Only those who want to make sure their heroes don't fall from grace will try to split hairs on this.  Like you.