Back when the Grand Jury first indicted old Tommie, a group of friends hosted a "Tom DeLay party." Basically, we wrote him little letters to commemorate the occassion. Stuff like:
Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
A Texas Grand Jury
Just Indicted You!
Ah, it was grand. But seeing him out of office, it's just that much sweeter.
Time Magazine has an exclusive interview on its website. It's pure gold. Some excerpts:
My main point was that this country was built on morals and religion. Our greatest leaders were very strong believers. There is a connection between religion and politics, and religion and government. There has to be for this country to have accomplished all it's accomplished and for its future. How many times have the great leaders--Ronald Reagan, Roosevelt, Lincoln, George Washington--have said there is a connection between morals and religion. And there has to be. The people that go to church understand that a country has to be based on some sort of religion and fear of God because they understand that.
[...]
If you know that we're all sinners, then you know that we have to work hard to have a moral foundation. So I felt very liberated in being able to say that. I didn't have to worry about being the spokesman for the Republican Party and all that kind of stuff.
Ah, American theocracy. I'm glad he feels "liberated" enough to call for that. James Madison would be rolling in his grave, but he wrote that pesky bill of rights, so screw him. Meanwhile, I'm just loving the expressed need for "fear" in our polity. Can someone cue Grand Moff Tarkin here? "Fear will keep them in line."
Christine DeLay [on the media not covering DeLay's work for foster homes]: [T]hey're scared to death it might make that Tom DeLay look like he could be part human.
Hey, y'all are the ones always screeching about the media needing to be more objective. Sometimes the truth hurts.
DeLay: Abortion on demand is still in this country, and I want to end abortion as we know it.
TIME: What would be the mechanism for doing that?
DeLay: I don't know. All I know is that's what my world view is.
Well that lays it bare doesn't it? A plan, Mr. DeLay, give us a plan. To be clear, he doesn't have one because he doesn't actually care what happens to these women or these now-born children. That, more than anything else, shows the moral bankruptcy of DeLay and his allies. If you're going to radically change American society, you better damn well plan for those who you're ripping the ground out from under. But it's always been DeLay's policy to shoot first and blame the liberals later.
I want to get rid of this tax code and replace it with a fair tax--national sales tax. That would be a revolution in this country. We will return to an economic leader. It would cause people to move back to the United States in order to do business.
People do move to America in order to do business. They're known as immigrants--often illegal ones. Remember them? They're currently serving as pawns in a crass political maneuver that is in the process of blowing up in your face.
"When I was elected to Congress, I was a self-centered jerk."
"Was"? "Was"?!? Honey, you still got a ways to go on that sin.
TIME: In public life, have you ever committed a crime?
DeLay: No.
TIME: Have you ever done anything unethical?
DeLay: No.
Oh dear. I seem to recall you singing a different tune a few months back:
Mr. Hurt: Have you ever crossed the line of ethical behavior in terms of dealing with lobbyists, your use of government authority or with fundraising?
Mr. DeLay: Ever is a very strong word.
So ends a sordid chapter in American politics. DeLay says that he wants to continue lobbying for conservative causes on the outside of Congress. Here's hoping he spends plenty of time in jail first.
The folks at Public Campaign Action Fund are celebrating--justifiably. Their original "Daily DeLay" blog helped get this ball rolling. So for tonight, I join them in merriment. Tommorow, it's back to the trenches.
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