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Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 12:06:56 PM EST
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This has me laughing out loud. Newt Gingrich on Fox News Sunday, via Media Matters, which also has the video.

Discussing the recent resignation of former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) with host Chris Wallace on the October 1 edition of Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday, Fox News political analyst and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) claimed that House Republicans would have "been accused of gay bashing" if they had "overly aggressively reacted" to Foley's allegedly inappropriate email communications with a 16-year-old male congressional page when House Republicans reportedly first learned of Foley's actions in late 2005.

.....Wallace then asked: "How would it have been gay bashing?" Gingrich replied: "Because it was a male-male relationship," adding that "there was no proof" that Foley was a "predatory person."

The issue isn't the male-male nature of the contacts, it's the age of his victims, his sexual harassment of them while they worked for him and the fact that Republicans left him in a leadership role on committees addressing sexual misconduct of youth after they knew about it.

Update: Another laugh out loud: Wonkette's "strip down and relax" post.

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    Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In | 13 comments (13 topical)
    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 12:50:28 PM EST
    Which of the GOP's upright citizens will be the next to let his mask fall.

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#2)
    by Kitt on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 01:24:48 PM EST
    Yeah, I was cleaning the kitchen and heard that whiny voice of Gingrich's on the TV. Even the cats think he's a fool. Not only that, how rich is that HE can make any comment on another's sexual indiscretions?

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 01:24:48 PM EST
    Gingrich? Presidential material? I guess he can relate to Foley so it isn't unusual for him to defend him. His reasoning has me laughing like hell. I'm betting even he is laughing too. They accept anything on Fox. I hope Olberman was watching.

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#4)
    by msobel on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 01:24:48 PM EST
    The parents of the boy didn't want the matter made public and neither did the parents of the other five boys. What part of Mandatory Reporter don't you understand. link

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#5)
    by JSN on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 03:55:50 PM EST
    The fact that Dennis Hastart is Speaker of the House tells me that that something is rotten in the Republican Party. The Foley resignation coming a year too late makes me wonder if Foley had something he could use to damage Hastart. When a sixteen year old turns eighteen they can represent their own interests. Buying off the parents (if that was done) just postpones the day it hits the fan. It appears to me the page learned a lot about how to inflict maximum damage.

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#6)
    by john horse on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 03:55:50 PM EST
    When Republicans screw up its always somebody else's fault, isn't it? Does anyone actually believe Gingrich when he says that it was fear of the Democrats accusing them of "gay bashing" that prevented the Republican House leadership from taking action when they learned of Foley's emails months ago? For Republicans personal responsibility is something that applies to others, not themselves.

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#7)
    by Che's Lounge on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 04:03:02 PM EST
    Newtron's statement only confirms the homophobia of the right. Even those of us who hide under rocks can smell hypocrisy's stench. It has nothing to do with being gay. It has everything to do with pedophilia and the coverup of such behaviour. Foley is a disgrace to the country. The only honorable thing to do...

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#8)
    by Patrick on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 05:04:47 PM EST
    I love all the finder pointing at republicans, as if democrats don't do the same. I hate to lose a seat, but it's better than letting this guy, Foley, stay.

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 05:24:32 PM EST
    I believe that the male - male issue is relevant. Had the page been a girl, I am certain that both the parents and officials involved would have demanded an investigation. Male predators of boys is too often ignored because of the old old idea that boys/men cannot be raped. Also, does anyone honestly believe that a public school teacher would have been left in his classroom if any allegations such as these came to light. Hell no! Innocent or guilty the teacher would be gone in a New York minute and the local, state, and national press would crucify him. Double standards exist everywhere. In the late 60's when I was a teen -- do you think that a male could find the courage to report his rape -- too much ignorance prevented it.

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#11)
    by Sailor on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 07:59:57 PM EST
    I love all the finder pointing at republicans, as if democrats don't do the same.
    Uhh, is this Patrick writing this? I sure hope not because I can't imagine Patrick, or anyone, being able to point out a dem pedophile that was protected by the house leadership. This ain't politics to me, it's one of the worst crimes a human can commit, and there was a conspiracy in the highest parts of repub elected officials to cover it up.

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#10)
    by cpinva on Sun Oct 01, 2006 at 08:24:44 PM EST
    I love all the finder pointing at republicans, as if democrats don't do the same.
    this confirms what i've long suspect, patrick's a 6 year-old at heart, hanging out in the school playground, yelling "yeah, but they did it too!" it didn't work in elementary school either patrick. geez, grow the f*ck up. can you imagine having been a student, in one of "prof" gringrich's history classes? you're probably yet convinced that the indiginous peoples of the americas actually appreciated the europeans wiping them out. not to mention slavery in the u.s. being a good thing. this, of course, is why we need both "don't ask, don't tell", and an amendment to ban gay marriage. (snark alert!) who gives a ratf*ck what "wonkette" thinks, if she actually does? anyone who pays any meaningful attention to her idiotic ramblings should be shot, for their own intellectual preservation.

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#12)
    by Patrick on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 04:51:07 PM EST
    Yes it's me and there's a convenient point that's being missed. I think Foley's a scum bag, and probably deserves worse than he'll get. What I'm pointing out is the partisan politics that coming out of this. You know who you are. What's wrong is wrong and that isn't dependent on what side of the isle the offender is on. I will not excuse his actions because he is a republican, nor would I condemn a democrat based solely on their polical leanings. This country is going crazy and many here (and on the right)are feeding the fire...I think we'll all regret it soon enough. Hopefully more moderate heads will prevail, but I gotta tell you, I think it's getting more and more unlikely.

    Re: Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In (none / 0) (#13)
    by Patrick on Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 09:55:07 PM EST
    P.S. It really sucks when the quote everyone cherry picks has a typo in it too. You get to read it over and over.....

    Gingrich on Foley: The Spin They're In | 13 comments (13 topical)