[maggief]

1997 FLASHBACK:

http://edition.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/07/21/time/gingrich.html

Attempted Republican Coup: Ready, Aim, Misfire

The gang that couldn’t shoot straight targets Newt Gingrich — but a G.O.P. upstart takes the hit instead

By James Carney/Washington

With reporting by Karen Tumulty/Washington

(TIME, July 28) — Congressman Tom Delay, the pest-control expert from Laredo, Texas, knows all about the black art of extermination. So how did the majority whip so thoroughly botch the job he undertook two weeks ago, when he tried to eradicate a king-size Newt?

In scheming to be rid of House Speaker Gingrich, DeLay and his co-conspirators showed all the talent for intrigue of Peter Sellers in his Pink Panther days. Depending on who’s doing the telling, the schemers included one, two or all three of the other House leaders ranked directly below the Speaker—majority leader Dick Armey, G.O.P. conference chairman John Boehner and leadership chairman Bill Paxon—not to mention 20 or more insurgents from the rank and file.

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Thanks for the detailed reference!