You really have to give some credit to the Republicans, and to their mouthpieces in the media. The Foley cover-up is indefensible, and public outrage at the perpetrators is already altering the electoral landscape. So I am awed by the simplicity and elegance of their answer- make it a Democratic scandal, not a Republican. Fox News and Bill O'Reilly started it off with a stroke of brilliance, identifying Foley three times as a
Democrat. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and the AP flattered Fox shortly afterwards by also identifying
Foley D-FL.
The latest entry in this parlor game is CNN. One of the top stories on cnn.com right now, entitled GOP prods Dems over Foley scandal, follows the latest GOP script by identifying Dan Crane as a Democrat. Crane, of course is the former Republican Congressman who was booted out of office after the 1983 page scandal. Wiki: Dan Crane
CNN quote...
Top GOP leaders, including Boehner and Majority Whip Roy Blunt, of Missouri, have rushed to Hastert's defense. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, wrote a letter supporting Hastert, saying it was inappropriate to ask for the speaker's resignation when similar scandals in the 1980s prompted a "dramatically different standard."
Barton was referring to Democratic Reps. Gerry Studds of Massachusetts and Dan Crane of Illinois, both of whom were censured after having sexual relationships with 17-year-old pages. Crane lost his re-election bid, while Studds survived the scandal.
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Update: CNN has corrected the story, properly identifying Crane as a Republican. I think we can take credit for that, but how do they make that change without publishing a correction notice?
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/06/foley.fallout/index.html