"When this is over, I go back to being majority leader automatically," said Mr. DeLay.
"The important thing that is driving this is the temporary nature of it," said Kevin Madden, Mr. DeLay's spokesman.
It's temporary. It's temporary. It's temporary!
Who's kidding whom?
Here's the reality:
"Right now, the conference is interested in getting through this session under the current arrangement," said Representative Zach Wamp of Tennessee, who said he intends to run for the No. 3 post, party whip. By next year, he said, "I think the leadership team being formalized and finalized would be appropriate."DeLay is done.
Though Mr. DeLay's absence is portrayed as temporary until the conspiracy charge lodged against him in an indictment filed in Texas on Wednesday is resolved, many lawmakers are skeptical that he will be able to return if the matter drags on. As a result, many of the ambitious politicians in this institution are surveying their chances for top positions should they open up.
"People have been waiting for somebody at the top to slip on a banana," said Representative Ray LaHood, Republican of Illinois. "This creates a once-in-a-lifetime political opportunity for people to get into leadership."
3 comments:
Bill,
From what I've read of DeLay, there must be a passel of Republicans out there who have no idea which way to jump on this situation. On the one hand, those that he has bullied into toeing the line are probably hoping he goes down as a result of this indictment and/or future conviction on the conspiracy charge. There's an even larger group that probably fears that The Hammer will somehow survive, and his vengeance toward those who don't jump forward to support him will make his previous tactics seem mild. What's a party hack to do?
DeLay has demonstrated an amazing ability to save his partisan ship from every impending smash-up in the past. He's just too good at raising the money and either buying or intimidating his party brethren to ensure their support. While I hope I'm wrong, I afraid that fork that you see might end up back in the drawer.
Perhaps the only sure sign that the fat lady has sung will be a statement from the President of "Hammer-head, you're doing a heck of a job for us back home in Texas."
Rob
Rob --
Bet you a steak dinner he's as gone as Trent Lott. The leadership will be reorganized in January, and by the time DeLay gets clear of the indictment (assuming he does) the new leadership will be so entrenched that he will never get back in. These guys are ruthless, and while they will talk about what a great man DeLay is, they will make damn sure he never gets back. He is a wounded lion in a herd of jackals.
Anyway, if he ever gets to be a member of the leadership team again, I promise to buy you dinner, even if I have to send you a gift certificate to do it.
Bill, I'd enjoy buying you a dinner for lots of reasons (all of which involve enjoying a meal with good company). I think you're very likely right about DeLay, however. I'm just wary about wishing too hard for something good to come true -- he's a poisonous political hack, and for the sake of Congress as an institution I hope he never gets within a Texas mile of another leadership position.
Rob
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