Washingtonian Survey: Other Foley's out there......October Surprise?

[KoKo]

Foley Also Got Votes as "No Altar Boy" in Washingtonian Survey

http://www.washingtonian.com/features/foley.html


A review of the ballots sent in by several hundred administrative assistants, press secretaries, legislative directors, and chiefs of committee staffs suggests that someone or at least two people had an inkling that Foley wasn't sending e-mails only to colleagues or constituents. Besides getting one vote from a Republican staffer for being a "Show Horse" and another GOP nod as a "Hunk," Foley was singled out by two Democratic staffers as their pick for "No Altar Boy."

He had lots of company in that category. Staffers submitted about 30 different names. At the top of the list: Rhode Island Representative Patrick Kennedy, who entered rehab last spring after crashing his Ford Mustang into a barricade at 3 in the morning under the influence of something.

The survey suggests Foley may not be the only House member with an eye for the fresher faces on Capitol Hill. One Democratic House member received votes for "No Altar Boy" from a handful of staffers on both sides of the aisle, one of whom scribbled "loves interns" after the member's name. Another October surprise?

[CJCRANE]

1. Wouldn't be that the perfect Rovian One-Two.

Just like Rathergate.

[ShortnFiery]

2. NO, because only obsessed predators would risk sending IMs or

Emails to underage Pages.

Nope, stop the paranoia and go with it. :-) :hi:

[MADem]

3. Well, "loves interns" is different from "loves pages"

The former implies abuse of a senior-subordinate relationship where both parties are beyond the age of consent, the latter is fiddling with a child, and is against the law. One is breaking a rule, punishable by censure, the other is punishable by the justice system.

Neither are anything to be proud of, but if you had to pick just one to feel the full weight of consequences, the latter wins, hands down.

[rockymountaindem]

4. Two problems with this line of thinking

One: Democrats would likely have been thinking about a counter-attack and will hopefully have made sure they aren't open to such by ensuring their members of Congress are clean. Otherwise I suspect they would not have gone into such an aggressive mode. The alternative, if both parties are equally guilty, would be for Pelosi et. al. to say they have confidence in the internal mechanisms of the House and that they wish Foley luck in rehab. They haven't done that.

Secondly, Rove can't unring the bell. This has already made the Republicans look really bad, and I doubt they would be willing to bite that bullet just for a little "turnabout is fair play" action later.

[last1standing]

5. Just more bullshit trying to make it all sound "bi-partisan".

"No Altar Boy" is not a synonym for "Predator of Teen aged Boys". If it were then the survey would never have taken place. Also, I don't care if every Dem (or repub) in congress is sleeping with interns. They are ADULTS capable of making sexual and career decisions for themselves and no laws are being broken when two adults have sex.

On the other hand, there should be a law about pushing for laws that you are currently breaking. Every closeted repub who voted to prevent gay marriage then went out to cruise the bath houses should be locked up. Every supporter of the Walsh Act who are actively trying to entice "age of consent" 16 year old boys over the Internet should be put in jail. Why aren't these congresspeople held to the standards they demand of us?

[NanceGreggs]

6. This is pretty thin soup ...

A survey of staffers? "No Altar Boy"? That could mean anything from swearing to telling off-colour jokes in mixed company.

Doesn't mean crap.

Besides, let's not forget that what's left of the GOP base thinks that all Democrats are 'godless' adulterers anyway. It's their opinion of THEIR OWN REPS at this point that hits home with them, nothing else.

It's one thing for a Repub to say, "So one of ours took a bribe, so did a Democrat." It's quite another for a Repub to say to his constituents, "So one of ours is a homosexual pedophile, but so is one of theirs."

Not only will that dog not hunt; that dog won't even get up off the front porch.