There's absolutely nothing at all surprising about this. It's the inevitable outcome of the bed the Republicans have made for themselves. Everything, absolutely everything, has been subordinated to "party unity". If you tie everyone together so all get to share in the good times it becomes awfully hard to untie the knots when your weakest comrades can no longer keep their heads above the rising waters.
Posted by muckcat at September 29, 2005 07:49 AMMuckcat, I heard on the Radio today some right-winger saying all Delay did was "Out Clinton, Clinton" The blame is starting already
Posted by goose1 at September 29, 2005 08:07 AMNora Ephron wrote a lovely little blame Clinton opinion piece in the Times today.
Here's the money quote:
The way I saw it, if Bill had behaved, Al would have been elected, and thousands and thousands of people would be alive today who are instead dead.
Yep. It's all Bill Clinton's fault.
Posted by muckcat at September 29, 2005 08:29 AMJOHN ROBERTS IS CHIEF JUSTICE!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by hobo at September 29, 2005 08:39 AMJOHN ROBERTS IS CHIEF JUSTICE!!!!!!!!!!
Not until he takes the oath of office.
Which I imagine will be quite shortly.
Posted by snark at September 29, 2005 08:51 AM"There's absolutely nothing at all surprising about this."
Well muckcat, I think the hammer was a little bit surprised. I heard David Brooks spewing Norquists talking points yesterday on NPR. He was happily throwing DeLay overboard and spreading a little verbal chum just for effect. Obviously, the "journalistic sharks" were to dutifully follow the trail and bite the hand that's been beating them for years. Of course, most of those sharks are as dangerous as a 6 week old Labrador Retriever. Apparently, the idea is now for DeLay to take the fall. He had more enemies than "friends" wherever he raised his ugly head. That's the downside of ruling by fear. Even your subjects hate your guts and your cronies like you even less.
The curious dance of Hastert and Davey Drier, I think, was DeLay's original plan. He'd get a lightweight placeholder, of whom he probably has pictures and testimony lined up, and after he, in his fervid imagination, "beats the rap", he'd slide right back into the driver's seat. Unfortunately for Mr. Raid, either Blunt by himself of in alliance with a worried Rove/Norquist cabal, a very strong, and of course, equally corrupt PLAYER has muscled his way in. That picture of Hastert with Blunt was absolutely beautiful.
Now everybody in the gang is busily chiming in to the lovely ballad, "Tommy, we hardly knew ye". His chances of taking back his seat from Roy Blunt is about nil. Obvioulsy, the stench of corruption was even beginning to penetrate the smog of the beltway and some serious sacrifice was called for. As long as it wasn't theirs, of course.
UPDATE: I just heard that Roberts was confirmed. 22 Democrats voted against, therefore, 22 voted for. I hope they're happy with their choices.
Posted by DeminNewJ at September 29, 2005 09:04 AMI'll go out on a limb and say that no matter what happens, DeLay is finished as ML. His little plot to get a malleable placeholder like Dreier in place failed and now Blunt has the post. If Blunt has the post, you'll have to drag him kicking and screaming out of it, because he's lusted after it for a long time and won't give it up (though given his own ethical troubles, not to mention those of his hapless governor son, you have to wonder how long HE'LL last). DeLay has been dethroned and it looks like the GOP is already starting to cut its losses. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Someone should have told DeLay this long ago. Bullies only have power when they are feared. When they lose that fear, they fall and fall hard.
Posted by gfyfe at September 29, 2005 10:30 AMGfyfe:
Very good point. But I still have this recurring nightmare of DeLay in a pink tutu and ribbons, despite repeated shock therapy.
Let's not go there. There might be children reading this.
Posted by gfyfe at September 29, 2005 02:02 PMgfyfe, and his spoiled son will not be re-elected in the State of Missouri.
Posted by Judith at September 29, 2005 02:27 PM