WP: After Foley, New Fears For GOP At the Polls (Lose House and Senate?)

[Pirate Smile]

After Foley, New Fears For GOP At the Polls
Some Say Party Could Lose House and Senate

By Dan Balz and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, October 3, 2006; Page A01

Republican strategists said yesterday that public revulsion over the sexually graphic online conversations between Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and former House pages could compound the party's problems enough to tip the House to the Democrats in November -- and jeopardize the party's hold on the Senate as well.

As House GOP leaders defended their role in handling revelations that forced Foley on Friday to give up his House seat, party strategists said the scandal threatens to depress turnout among Christian conservatives and could hamper efforts to convince undecided and swing voters that Republicans deserve to remain in the majority.
There was intense anger among social conservative activists in Washington yesterday, and some called for House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) to resign.

Republican operatives closely following the battle for the House and Senate said that they are virtually ready to concede nearly a third of the 15 seats the Democrats need to recapture control of the House, and that they will spend the next five weeks trying to shelter other vulnerable incumbents from the fallout of the Foley scandal in hopes of salvaging a slender majority.

-snip-
Others warned that the impact could be much greater. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and an important social conservative leader, said "there's a real chance" the episode could dethrone the Republican majority. "I think the next 48 hours are critical in how this is handled," he said, adding that "when a party holds itself out as the guardian of values, this is not helpful."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100201463.html

[Toucano]

1. Oh, they want to be the "underdogs".

Is this designed to rally the base?

[Beetwasher]

12. No

It's a hand grenade tossed into the cesspool of that is the Repub party. There is no "designing" by any Repub being done here. Rove is hiding under a table right now with a load in his pants.

[calimary]

17. No, actually I suspect he's QUITE busy sending his flying monkey

squads out ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY - to dig up more dirt, or even the vaguest appearance of dirt, to use against Dems - AND for ways to blame all this, somehow, on the Democrats. He's trying to figure out how to hijack this story and steer it the way he wants to, for the benefit of republi-CONS everywhere. It may have thrown him for a loop, but unfortunately, kkkarl doesn't get thrown, or stay thrown, for long. In fact, it'll probably be dirtier than ever, because now I suspect he feels like he's owed BIGTIME. And he's gonna want his pound of flesh. Be wary, AND prepared. He'll do everything he can think of to make sure this does not go unavenged (even while our side had nothing whatsoever to do with it).

[Straight Shooter]

2. War won't do it, or torture, or Social Security vivisection.

Nope. All the GOP and the rightwing fundies care about is sex.

No wonder their representatives have problems.

[DeSwiss]

3. Guardian of values???

"Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and an important social conservative leader, said "there's a real chance" that the episode could dethrone the Republican majority. "I think the next 48 hours are critical in how this is handled," he said, adding that "when a party holds itself out as the guardian of values, this is not helpful."

No shit Sherlock? And what values would those be? :sarcasm:

[JerseygirlCT]

14. You know, greed, torture, discrimination...

[DeSwiss]

15. Oh.

Those values. Okay....

[badgervan]

4. Rethugs....

Dead men, and women, walking. One month to go, voters.

[AndyTiedye]

5. It's Dead Men & Women Walking to the Polls and Voting I'm Worried About

[pacalo]

9. No offense intended, AndyTiedye...

but that photoshop of yours looks like something I'd have done! :)

:hide:

[w4rma]

6. Power is all they care about. (nt)

[Trajan]

7. This is getting good .....

Now, I dont want to get TOO optimistic now, do I ? ....

[grytpype]

8. "hopes of salvaging a slender majority"

Heh heh heh

[LeftCoast]

10. Ladies and Gentlemen, we appear to have crossed the tipping point!

WooHOO! :bounce:

[Radio_Lady]

11. I'm loving this in LBN this morning -- thanks for posting!

Black humor note:

Jon Stewart on the Daily Show was hilarious on Monday night.

Samantha Bee is very talented -- what a hoot!

[AX10]

13. If we win back the house, we will gain more than 15 seats.

[stepnw1f]

16. Too Bad for the Anti-Clinton Political Cult

awwww.... boohoohoo.... this is just the beginning.