One Dem suffered through DeLay's "train wreck" of a speech

[Rose Siding]

Bye Bye Tom DeLay!

In listening to Tom DeLay's farewell address to the House, I was struck to hear him list three ways to leave Congress: defeat, death, and retirement. He neglected to mention the fourth avenue, which applied to him: disgrace.

Watching this "historic presentation," I looked to my far right and spied Bob Ney (his face extremely red and discolored) sitting next to "Mean Jean" Schmidt (the woman who attacked Jack Murtha) and Deborah Pryce, the fourthranking Republican under extreme assault. I wondered. "What must be going through their minds?"

.....It will take years, if not decades, for the House to recover from Tom DeLay's "leadership." His tactics weren't just partisan and secretive; they created a spoils system that has spawned, most recently, the abuses of the appropriations process that are now making headlines at home.
...
Even his final attempt to end his presentation on a high note, by talking about abused and neglected children who fall through society's cracks, fell flat. Both his personal claim for addressing this situation and his parting admonition to Congress to continue his efforts were tragic statements. Here was a man at the very pinnacle of power -- arguably the most influential Member of the House of Representatives for the past 12 years -- who was either unable or unwilling to use his great power to make any meaningful changes in a system he found abhorrent......

By the time DeLay left the House floor, virtually everyone on the Democratic side of the aisle had already left. Trapped with my broken foot, I stayed until the end to watch this train wreck unfold, convinced that his final words would have at least a bit of regret or contrition. But none was evident as he plunged into a crowd of Republican well-wishers, all sporting little hammer pins on their lapels.

Earl Blumenauer represents Oregon's 3rd District in the US House of Representatives.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/6/9/15038/81251#readmore

[rodeodance]

1. what a bunch of complete idiots---I wonder if they bowed as he left.

.......By the time DeLay left the House floor, virtually everyone on the Democratic side of the aisle had already left. Trapped with my broken foot, I stayed until the end to watch this train wreck unfold, convinced that his final words would have at least a bit of regret or contrition. But none was evident as he plunged into a crowd of Republican well-wishers, all sporting little hammer pins on their lapels.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Sporting little hammer pins

:puke:

Too bad they don't charge people with consorting with known felons much anymore.

[PA Democrat]

7. Perhaps little handcuffs pins would be more appropriate. n/t

[quiet.american]

12. Excellent! n/t

[yellerpup]

2. Kick

for the invaluable first person account. :kick:

[mike_c]

3. K&R....

eom

[ShortnFiery]

4. People as openly smarmy as Tom Delay will not ever take responsibility

for their mistakes. They truly are "a legend in their own mind." :puke:

There's a little ray of justice shining through on our beautiful Country today.

... and HOPE springs eternal. :thumbsup: :hi:

[howmad1]

15. Nazis and rethuglicans do not take responsibility for their actions.

[IndyOp]

6. If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail...

I wonder if Delay was abused as a child - I've heard him talking about abused/neglected children often enough in past to wonder whether this issue is, for him, just a bit more than a way to manipulate the public into believing he is a decent guy.

[Doctor_J]

8. Delay is gone - his tactics will live on

Much like Zaqawi. Putting The Al Queda leader down won't stop terrorism, and kicking Bugman over to K Street won't stop fascism from rolling over the US.

[stevedeshazer]

9. Earl is my congressman - K & R

He is great.

[Pachamama]

13. Where in Oregon? My In-laws are in Eugene....

:hi:

[stevedeshazer]

16. Here

Your in-laws in Eugene are represented by the great Peter DeFazio, Oregon District 4. :)

[Old and In the Way]

10. Glad you posted this.

Read earlier and was going to post it....Earl's read on the disgrace of DeLay is a must read. Exposing DeLay's hypocrisy - using orphan/adopted kids as a humanizing prop while focused on taking care of his corpoate benefactors and feathering his own nest is the reality.

Scumbags don't get much more corrupt than this guy.

[Tin Man]

11. K&R for exposing the contempible hubris of Delay and his K-Street comrads

Thanks for posting, Rose Siding!

[AzDar]

14. Kick ....n/t

[rosesaylavee]

17. This is an important historic perspective that

may be necessary reading for those researching this ridiculous time down the road when sanity returns (please, please let sanity return soon).

Kicked, recommended and highly appreciated posting!

Oregon is lucky to have this guy.

[OneTwentyoNine]

18. Awww...Repuke supporters had little "hammer" pins on their lapels....

Shows you the real Repuke values doesn't it. Their very supportive of what Delay was doing as business as usual and probably intend to make sure his legacy doesn't die here and now.

How GD pathetic.