“We have a story to tell, and the Democrats have — in my view have — put this thing forward to try to block us from telling the story. They’re trying to put us on defense.”
It is difficult to read that as other than an accusation: He seems to be not just confessing a coverup but also complaining that the coverup was undone by bad manners. Were it not for Democrats’ unsportsmanlike conduct in putting “this thing” forward, it would not be known and would not be disrupting Republicans’ storytelling.
When people claim they’d be winning if they could tell their story, it’s a hint that people ain’t buying their story.
It was lame when the Dems made this claim and it’s lame now.
Have some cheese with that whine, Denny. And get prepared for an ass whooping.
The Democratic Party’s symbol may indeed be the donkey, but it is the Republican Party that seems populated with the most braying asses.
Okay, okay, he would have a good story to tell if it weren’t for the Republican Senate stopping every good idea they’ve passed in the House.
I don’t think they are covering this up. It’s not in Hastert’s nature, nor do I think the movement would let them get away from it. Think about it. The Right drove away Trent Lott for his stupid comments, they’ve gone after the Pres. and Cong. on spending, Harriet Miers, and the list goes on.
The interesting thing for me is that I think the political class is getting a lesson in just what the Mark Foley’s of the world do to families and communities all the time. These predators are exceptionally good liars and that deceit worms its way into the families and communities in which these people operate. The effects on them are devastating with recriminations, blame, guilt, shame and denial. I’m sure the list goes on and on. The kids aren’t the only victims. It’s everyone. Once the political dust settles and the press has its GOP scalps, I imagine they’ll get around to this angle.
…And no, I’m not writing this to defend anyone. I’m just pointing to an aspect of this no one has yet really discussed.
Greg,
No one is discussing that aspect (except maybe a few Illinois Reviewers) because it’s an exceptionally bizarre point of view in relation to the mainstream take on this.
Whether or not Hastert or anyone else actively covered up the Foley affair is a bit beside the point.
First, several people among Republican Leadership knew that something was going on. They knew at least enough that they should have dug deeper instead of introducing Foley to pages or warning incoming pages to ‘stay away’ because he’s overly friendly. Now some might consider this to be naivety while others may consider it at least a passive cover up (as in “I don’t want to know what I don’t know” along the lines of the plausible deniability track…).
Second, some one or some people are lying. Flat out lying. The four key GOP players plus two GOP staffers have told so many conflicting stories that it is clear lies have been told. Those six are Shimkus, Boehner, Reynolds (the RNCC political head — the political head), Trandahl, Fordham, and of course Hastert.
Third, and in my mind much more important, we know that several members of Republican Leadership either overlooked or outright ignored what Denny Hastert calls “red flags” about Foley.
If they are missing red flags about one of their own caucus in the very place they work, what other red flags are they failing to see and in what other areas? That is what concerns me most about this event — it shows a complete and utter failing on the part of the Republican Leadership (in addition to my parental instincts over a Congressmen sending lewd messages to young boys).
But you probably don’t see that Greg since you think House Republicans “would have a good story to tell if it weren’t for the Republican Senate stopping every good idea they’ve passed in the House.”
Thank goodness there are still a few common sense, non-dogmatic Republicans left in Washington.
What were the red flags? Foley was gay and friendly to young men? That’s a crime? What would you have Hastert do? Without the IMs there wasn’t much for him to go with.. once he got the IMs, Foley was out.
Now, in years to come, when Foley passes and if Hastert survives him… you won’t see Denny eulogizing the guy the way Dems are reflecting today on Studds. A guy who had sex with a 17 yo page and thumbed his nose at Congress when censured for it.
==What would you have Hastert do?
Investigate–as his duty as Speaker and his former role as coach would dictate. What’s so hard about that?
There’s a certain level of density it takes to claim there were no red flags.
In terms of Studds, no one here is eulogizing him and they shouldn’t. However, na-na-na he did it too isn’t a defense–no one covered up what Studds did. In fact, Michel and O’Neil agressively responded.