Foley: My sexuality is private Questions about homosexuality 'revolting and unforgivable'

Miami Herald ^ | 5/23/03 | PETER WALLSTEN AND LESLEY CLARK

[Chancellor Palpatine]

TALLAHASSEE - U.S. Rep. Mark Foley took the offensive Thursday to address a question he acknowledged may affect his bid to become the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate: Is he gay?

The answer, Foley said, is that it's nobody's business but his own. He called the innuendo about his private life ''revolting and unforgivable,'' and blamed it on Democratic activists who fear his strength as a candidate.

snip

Foley holds a massive fundraising advantage over his leading rival for the Republican nomination, former Orlando-area U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum, and has amassed dozens of endorsements from Republican state legislators across the ideological spectrum.

But party strategists worry quietly that Foley may be too ''moderate'' to beat McCollum, a darling of the party's influential conservative wing, in a primary -- but that McCollum, who lost to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2000, is a weak candidate in the general election.

[Mr. Bird]

I guess my defense of him was a reflexive response to the Herald's unattributed criticisms. I suppose the question is can either a wet blanket OR someone who the rank and file perceive as a closeted homosexual win anything statewide? If Delay is behind Foley (as the article states), that tells me something. But if the GOP wants that seat, someone's going to need to clear up this crap right now.

[JohnnyZ]

All that excitement - manipulating databases, creating life tables, computing losses, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............

Oh no, those are the life actuaries. P&C is thrilling!

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Well, there would be some regional differences. I can guarantee that in my neck of the woods (and this state's entire congressional delegation is GOP, save for one Dem - and he's a blue dog) that crap would be roundly criticized.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I couldn't do that for 5 minutes before getting whiplash from my head slamming back....

Although, I wouldn't mind a crack at poking around in Colossus.

[MinuteGal]

I worked in McCollum's campaign and I'm sorry I did. Live and learn. It was a disaster. Did you ever watch paint dry? And he's not as conservative as you think, in several issues dear to our hearts.

He ran a terrible, uninspired campaign and I sensed right away he didn't even have the fire in the belly to win. Many of our Florida chapter freepers can confirm what I'm stating.

Foley is dead in the water....he can't get out of this "scandal" whether he's in the right or wrong.

Leni

[AuH2ORepublican]

"04 will be a great year and whether cracker leaves his seat or not, McCollum will beat him or take the open seat. If we get real lucky, deutsch or wexler will run and we'll get rid of another rat congressman in the process."

---

I wish I shared your enthusiasm regarding our chances if Graham runs for reelection. I think McCollum would be fortunate to break 45% against Graham, although I think he can beat Deutsch (Wexler isn't running). But if Deutch does run (and I hope he gets the nomination---actually, I wish Alcee Hastings gets it, but I shouldn't wish for the impossible), there's no way anyone but a very liberal Democrat will be elected to replace him. Deutsch's district, along with Wexler's, is one of the two most liberal white-majority districts in the South. Bush got just 31% of the vote in the redrawn 20th district in 2000.

[pogo101]

Took the words right outta my post. I used to like Baucus a tad. No more.

[Dan from Michigan]

Foley said, is that it's nobody's business but his own

YES! I agree.

As for McCollum, he's WAY WAY WAY WAY too soft on the 2nd Amendment(Foley isn't perfect, but MUCH better on that issue). Not to mention he LOST already. He also pushed for a Patriot Act(secret searches) type bill for Butcher Reno. The only good thing McCollum has over Foley is that he's pro-life.

I'd back Foley over McCollum. I don't like his abortion stance at all, but McCollum lost once already, and is much more hostile to freedom

[wimpycat]

Alex Sanders was a very likeable candidate, full of anecdotes and down-homeisms, but his politics were all wrong-pro-abortion, anti-death penalty, pro-gun-control (although he was a member of the NRA). He was a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans AND the NAACP, but it didn't matter what his politics were. It was Lindsey Graham's seat all along.

I knew Lindsey Graham was going to be SC's next Senator back in 1999, during the impeachment trial in the Senate.

[thegreatbeast]

Dole was dismal in comparison to the Liar in Chief. Name a dozen politicians who have real flair and claim a prize. Personality is not often a consideration when choosing congress critters.
It would be my earnest hope that we were at the "content of their character" stage but we are not and I'm tired of being duped. I don't care what happens in your bedroom or Foley's but that is not what is at issue. You should know that, Pollyanna!

[JohnnyZ]

Re McCollum: And he's not as conservative as you think, in several issues dear to our hearts.

Among other things, he's in favor of "gay rights" almost as much as Foley!!!

Florida needs a real candidate.

[Dan from Michigan]

That said, I'd back Weldon first if he ran.

[NeoCaveman]

I'd like a third choice. The negatives as pointed out by many on this thread make me think neither is electable, unless they are running against a far left whacko like Deutch.

[GraniteStateConservative]

He had the support of Mack (still does for some odd reason) and lost even with a black Democrat taking 1.4% of the vote out of Nelson's hide (Bush wins FL easy with that advantage). McCollum ran left in the general because he knew he needed to and it just cost him his base of supporters because of how he did it.

[tracer]

We should understand why a guy who has had a catheter named after him would be sensitive about this....

[headsonpikes]

I'll tell you what's gay!

That whole d*mnFlorida Democratic Party is so gay...

;^)

[Chancellor Palpatine]

The resurrection of these names is causing me Wexler flashbacks, dammit - I always found myself wondering if he still has all his own teeth, or whether his mother pounded all of them out with her fist when he was a kid.

Imagine him at 15, whining about having to go cut the grass.....

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I happen to be in possession of one of the grossest true catheter stories of all time, LOL.

[Dan from Michigan]

Deutsch and Wexler I simply despise.

I don't think I've seen a bigger girlyman whiner in Wexler. As for Deutsch, I'll never forget him pushing to toss the Bush backers in jail. He's anti-1st amendment.

BTW - I always thought it was because Wexler got his butt kicked a few times when he opened his trap.

[wimpycat]

Oh please, let's NOT hear it, shall we?