08/27/2007: Looks like the GOP has yet another sex scandal on their hands. Looks like Larry Flynt missed this one. Larry Craig (R-ID) pled guilty and coughed up $500 on August 8 for a lewd incident in a men’s room.
Apparently, he tried the Edwin Moses defense, claiming it was a “he said/he said misunderstanding.” Trouble is, that only works for Olympic Gold Medalists.
GOP Senators, on the other hand, will have a much harder time explaining such matters to their more conservative constituents.
David Vitter (R-LA), Dan Burton (R-IN), Bob Livingston R-LA), Newt Gingrich (R-GA), Helen Chenoweth (R-ID), Henry Hyde (R-IL), Jack Ryan (R-IL), and Mark Foley (R-FL) have come to epitomize a party in ruin.
Last year, the GOP got slaughtered in the elections in large part due to the [peda]Foley scandal. It was bad enough that a Republican Congressman had the hots for teenage boys; it was far worse that the GOP leadership attempted to sit on the mess and sweep it under the rug.
The conservative base taught the GOP a lesson last year, and that lesson will be repeated this year in states like Kentucky and next year’s general elections.
I can see the GOP slogans for 2008:
“Sure, we coddle perverts, but we’re pro-life!”
“Sure, we like to do it in strange places and strange people, but we’re better for national security!”
“Working hard for the men and boys of America!”
The anti-Hillary histrionics won’t work; that is because you cannot win an election by running against your opposition. No…to win, you must make a case for your leadership.
As long as Newt, Rudy, Mitt, and Fred are the best that the GOP has to offer, it won’t look good for them next year.
As for me, I’m voting for Ron Paul.