CNN TRANSCRIPT:Hastert not reporting Foley for fear of gay-bashing

[dajoki]

Interview by John King with Tony Perkins of Family Research Council
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THE SITUATION ROOM
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0610/02/sitroom....

Hill Scandal Gets More Explosive

Aired October 2, 2006 - 19:00 ET

<<Snip>>

KING: More now on our top story, the scandal over former Congressman Mark Foley's explicit communications with a former congressional page. Joining us from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to talk about this as a potential political fallout is Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

Tony Perkins thank you for joining us. I want to begin with a simple question to you. You're a leader of a grass roots conservative organization that a lot of pro-family voters around the country look to for guidance and advice in moments like this. There are conservative activists like Richard Vagary (ph), conservative groups like Citizens United who say the Republican leadership blew this, they did not handle this well. The speaker and others should resign from office. Do you think that's the case?

TONY PERKINS, PRES., FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: Well I think it's premature to say whether or not the leadership should resign. I think it certainly raises questions about what did the leadership know and when did they know it. We do know that they had indications that there were improper communications between this congressman and pages as long as two or three years ago. But, I think there may have been some fear that they had in pressing it forward out of fear of being seen as gay bashing or homophobic because of the orientation of Congressman Foley....

<<snip>>

PERKINS: Well, I would like to know what was exactly said to the speaker and why he did or did not do something. Was it out of fear of pushing something too far, overreacting and that because of the orientation of Congressman Foley, they would be seen as being gay bashing? You know was that a part of the decision not to act?

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0610/02/sitroom....

[NOLADEM]

1. Yeah, Right, the party who proposed a CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BANNING

GAY MARRIAGE has concern investigation of a pedophile might anger their gay base?

I gotta sit down. That made me dizzy.

What gall.

Fuck them for even insinuating that his sexual preference has anything to do with his deviant behavior. Seems most of the sickos out there kill little girls, to me.


Pathetic. They have nothing to hide behind on this. They are toast. More heads must roll to feed the crowd. The natives are restless. Emperor, toss another slave to the lions!

[Frances]

9. Would Jesus condone sending sexually suggestive

emails to teens, especially from a middle-aged man in power?

I think these phony Christian leaders should resign their positions if they try to spin this story in favor of the guilty Repubs!

[eviltwin2525]

2. what a sack of shit!

"It's the gays' fault!"
Sounds like the logical outcome of "don't ask, don't tell," to me.
Repressed feelings, no matter how benign (or not), invariably erupt in monstrous manifestations.

[jonnyblitz]

3. LMFAO!! since WHEN has the GOP ever been concerned

about gay bashing?! Hell, gay bashing is one of the KEY ways they rally their base when they feel the need!! UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE! :rofl: :rofl:

[cui bono]

4. I'm sick of the comments tying this to being gay...

as if that has anything to do with anything. Geez.
He's a pedophile at worst.

I've heard others saying things like of course people should have known a gay man was writing improper emails. Why do they have to put in the word gay for chrissakes?!?! That has nothing to do with it!!!

[Imagevision]

12. tying this to being gay? duh!, you're into boys, you're gay or straight!

take your time, I'll stop back this way tomorrow...

[cui bono]

13. so you think that he did this with the page because he's gay???

I thought DUers were more enlightened than that.

The fact that he's gay is incidental. It wouldn't matter if this were a gay or straight situation. The facts that matter are the ages and the abuse of power.


Are you always this charming or did you turn it on just for me? :eyes:

[leesa]

5. Not good enough. I wanna hear Condi spin one of her lies on this one.

I think she's the funniest liar of them all. She can contradict herself three times in one sentance.

[dajoki]

6. I just saw a clip of *...

trying to say totalitarianism. It was hilarious.:rofl:

[TheDonkey]

7. OOOOO REAAAAALLY!!!

It's just fine to gay bash on the floor of the house and senate with homophobic legislation but trying to expose a skeevy pervet is just fine and dandy. GIVE ME A BREAK

[madrchsod]

8. heavy d worrying about gay bashing?

calgon take me away......

[liberalmuse]

10. OMG, this takes the cake. Republicans: defenders of gays...

Let's call it like it is: if your prey is under the age of consent, it's pedophilia. Homosexuality involves two consenting adults. I think the gay issue is a smokescreen 'pubs use as an attempt to divert attention from all the REAL perversion going on in the Republican party.

[dajoki]

14. They are trying...

to use it as an excuse for their leadership, i.e. not reporting it when they knew, but we will not fall for it.

[truthisfreedom]

11. describing someone stalking 16-year-old boys as a gay person? sorry, that

makes no sense. the man is a criminal, not "gay." he's a pedophile, not "gay."

this statement by them is gay-bashing in and of itself. John Stewart pointed this out this evening.

[young_at_heart]

15. There's a HUGE difference between gay bashing and criminal activity!

So typical of the GOP to whitewash something so serious.