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Foley e-mail sex scandal hits the GOP hard
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 10/3/6 | Carolyn Lochhead

Posted on 10/02/2006 9:19:15 PM PDT by SmithL

Questions remain about who knew what, when -- and the case turns off the conservative base.

Five weeks before a midterm election, when Republicans are already on the ropes, the last thing the GOP needed was a homosexual pedophilia scandal.

Former Rep. Mark Foley's salacious correspondence with teenage boys working as congressional pages is the kind of story that not only obliterates interest in whatever bills Congress passed before leaving town but promises to hit a much rawer public nerve than the corruption scandals that have already removed three Republicans from office this year.

It strikes especially hard at "values voters," the conservative Christians who make up the core of the Republican Party.

"This kind of thing just should not happen, and there is no excuse to justify it in any way." said Rev. Bob Schenck,... National Clergy Council, a politically active group of conservative church leaders.

"A big deal should be made of it, and we intend to make a big deal of it," he said. "We plan to address it in pulpits across the country, that this is an egregious moral violation, and we all will be held accountable."

A swirl of unanswered questions remain over who in the Republican leadership knew what about Foley's exchanges and when they knew it. GOP leaders dismissed the first e-mail exchange that came to light months ago as "overly friendly," but some conservative activists now say the messages "had predator written all over them." Foley, a Republican congressman from Florida, was chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children.

A criminal investigation has been opened and shows every indication of keeping the scandal alive through the election.

"The electorate is 20 percent Republican, 20 percent Democrat, and 60 percent disgusted,"

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bobschenck; foley; instantmessages; natlclergycouncil; notboys; notpedophile; punishall4actsof1; rinowatch; wasnotemail
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To: txroadkill
Is anybody else watching Chris Matthews on Leno spewing the Dem talking points?

I tuned the last few minutes of Matthews MSNBC show tonight. They had that old queen, Oliphant, salivating over Foley and these nubile young boys (I think he wasn't actually wearing pants). He was repulsive. And some woman nobody ever heard of. They were all in complete agreement that this was a terrible terrible problem for the GOP and the Religious Right was going to abandon them forever over this, etc.

The press hopes that harping on this could drive a wedge between the Religious Right and the GOP. That is the only reason this is getting so much attention. It's the only way that libs can win.

Quite a contrast between how they treat Barney Frank and Gerry Studds and the Pervinator of NJ and how they're treating Foley now.
41 posted on 10/02/2006 9:58:09 PM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: bybybill

Correct!


42 posted on 10/02/2006 10:00:28 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (Our troops will send all of the worlds terrorists to hell in a handbasket with no virgins!)
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To: newzjunkey
They won't vote for the Dems, they'll just stay home.

Let me know when you find a conservative who's going to stay home over this tempest in a teapot.

If they're staying home, it'll be over things like the big-government GOP or failure to address the illegal invasion. Not this.
43 posted on 10/02/2006 10:01:34 PM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: SmithL

"I like, you know, for some reason, uh, think this story is funny. He just like sent him email and messages? And he's in trouble? All they did to me was make me wear an ankle thingy. That congress guy needs to start wearing dresses and womens wigs! If he looks hot enough as a homo transsexual transvestite whatever he'd be OK! Those democrats would leave him alone."

44 posted on 10/02/2006 10:03:00 PM PDT by isthisnickcool (Don't worry, everything will be OK. Or maybe it won't.)
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To: SmithL
But... I thought homosexuality was WONDERFUL.
45 posted on 10/02/2006 10:04:00 PM PDT by beethovenfan (If Islam is the solution, the "problem" must be freedom.)
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To: George W. Bush

{terrible problem for the GOP and the Religious Right was going to abandon them forever over}

Chris Matthews wishes for that, in the same way he wishes for someone to watch his show.

Regardless of what happens next month, I have a feeling conservatives are going to take a more hands on approach in the party.


46 posted on 10/02/2006 10:05:48 PM PDT by Kuksool (Design your Own Polls. Go Vote and Take a Few Others With You)
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To: newzjunkey

Can't disagree with that.


47 posted on 10/02/2006 10:06:45 PM PDT by SoldierDad (Proud Father of an American Soldier fighting in the WOT)
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To: newzjunkey

Values voters cannot be that irrational, they know what legislation Republicans/Conservatives push vs the commie vampires.

A pol in the House who turns out to be a criminal has zero to do with my Republican Rep.


48 posted on 10/02/2006 10:07:10 PM PDT by roses of sharon
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To: George W. Bush

As was said above, DUI in 2000. People stayed home.

Yes, people have been upset about spending. Yes, they've been upset about illegal immigration. I'm one of them on the last. But character is just as an important issue to a large segment of the base and it's clear the Dems/MSM plotted to find a way to make them stay home the way they did in 2000. Sickening, really, that some people allowed the abuse of children for political timing but there it is.

Will these same voters sit home this time? I don't know. I came out and voted for G.W.B. anyway after the DUI, but I wasn't happy he hadn't shared it earlier. I can't predict if they'll stay home or begrudingly come out and vote. You can't either. It's clearly what the Dems are hoping though.


49 posted on 10/02/2006 10:10:13 PM PDT by Soul Seeker (Kobach: Amnesty is going from an illegal to a legal position, without imposing the original penalty.)
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To: stephenjohnbanker
You're absolutely right. This thing is much less of a moral lapse than Barney's townhouse homosexual brothel (in DC, not Mass.)

Yet Barney is still in Congress and Foley has already resigned, and, for all we know, Barney might still be at it with his underage gay pals!

No question there is a double standard here. Democrats living in glass houses are already throwing all the stones they can muster - through their MSM - because there isn't anything more substantial for them to place on the table five weeks before the election.

50 posted on 10/02/2006 10:12:06 PM PDT by justiceseeker93
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To: everyone

Schenck is an idiot. With a friend like that, we don't need enemies. When the Rats are bending him over and burning down his church, maybe he'll realize that there are worse things than one Republican with a zipper problem, and a speaker with more important things to do than police such things.


51 posted on 10/02/2006 10:16:50 PM PDT by California Patriot ("That's not Charlie the Tuna out there. It's Jaws." -- Richard Nixon)
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To: roses of sharon

I don't know. Based on my experience, some of them are pretty stupid, and some really don't care whether they win.


52 posted on 10/02/2006 10:17:41 PM PDT by California Patriot ("That's not Charlie the Tuna out there. It's Jaws." -- Richard Nixon)
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To: SmithL
When you consider the amazing degree of severity in the crimes of Studds, Frank, & Reynolds as compared to Foley's, and the frenzy with which the DBM is approaching Foley's case as compared to the others, it makes a crystal clear case of BIAS in the MEDIA.

In addition you will NOTE for the record [the DBM won't do so] that Studds and Frank were NOT even CHARGED with a crime and STAYED on as members of the House. Reynolds was of course pardoned by the King of the World and REAPED nothing for the 'sowing' of a 14 year old child

Foley, from the news that has been reported ONLY emailed and IM'd his VICTIMS and supposedly never got near enough to TOUCH any of them. But within 15 minutes of being asked questions about emails by the DBM he resigns his office and the entire GOP is being called on the carpet for covering up the story!!

All in all, I say............."It's good to be a DEMOCRAT!!"

53 posted on 10/02/2006 10:20:13 PM PDT by PISANO
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
This scandal is strictly limited to politicalholics on the blogs and in the MSM.

You mean politicaholics like us? Do you know what time it is?

It's midnight--do you know where your politicaholics are?

54 posted on 10/02/2006 10:21:14 PM PDT by zipper
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To: SmithL
I feel like I have to preface everything I write or say about Foley by saying that he's scum. With that said...

I haven't seen this much infighting on this site since Terry Schiavo. Unless facts prove otherwise, can't be band together and support the Republican leadership of Congress. The RATS are trying to pull a guilt by association...trying to confuse e:mails/IMs.

From what I've seen, Hastert did the right thing, and reported the e:mail incident. I also believe him that he just learned of the IMs.

We've got through so much BS with Fitzmas, books, the Dumbo Street Memo, you name it. It would be a crying shame to lose in the home stretch by falling for the claptrap that the RATS and MSM are putting forth.

Foley's gone. That's great. If the rest of the story is what Hastert is saying, there's no need to start cleaning house.

This election is too important to lose. We have to stick together

55 posted on 10/02/2006 10:22:04 PM PDT by doesnt suffer fools gladly (Liberals lie.)
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To: Soul Seeker
I can't predict if they'll stay home or begrudingly come out and vote. You can't either.

I find it hard to believe that you sincerely think that even one social conservative in the country will stay home over this. Well, at least any that aren't in Foley's district.

I thought the DUI was a non-event in 2000 too.

I'm waiting to find out whether Foley ever actually did anything with any of the current or former pages. No evidence yet, no Manica, no blue dress cardigan.

It's a non-starter for the election. I think it'll be forgotten by next week when the polls show it doesn't hurt the GOP with their base at all.
56 posted on 10/02/2006 10:22:18 PM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: SmithL

""A big deal should be made of it, and we intend to make a big deal of it," he said. "We plan to address it in pulpits across the country, that this is an egregious moral violation, and we all will be held accountable."

Amen to that.

This kind of behavior is not acceptable in our party.


57 posted on 10/02/2006 10:25:11 PM PDT by stultorum (dont hire illegal aliens)
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To: justiceseeker93

All correct. I thought the brothel extended to Frank's Brookline condo.

sjb


58 posted on 10/02/2006 10:25:12 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (Our troops will send all of the worlds terrorists to hell in a handbasket with no virgins!)
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To: Cinnamon
My gay Son assures me this is the truth. He is a Republican, and is forced to take flak, not only from Democratic gays, but from Republicans because he is gay. So life is, occasionally, difficult for him.
59 posted on 10/02/2006 10:29:20 PM PDT by singfreedom ("Victory at all costs,.......for without victory there is no survival."--Churchill--that's "Winston")
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To: txroadkill
I saw that. My "favorite" part was where he said (to paraphrase) "if you agree with the war, vote for a Republican who will promise more war; if you don't want it, vote the other way" The other way? Or maybe it was "for the other guy" or something, but, in any case, it sounded like a euphemism to avoid explicitly supporting the democrats. At least Dennis Miller was on Conan an hour later, daring to voice skepticism of global warming.
60 posted on 10/02/2006 10:30:57 PM PDT by marsh_of_mists
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