Political Punch

Jake, I saw you commenting about this on "Seen and Be Heard" and I was stunned at your ignorance on a host of topics - including Foley investigations, Woodward's book, modern political events (hint: they happen chronologically).

Brian Ross has already answered all questions intelligently and with respect for his audience. Are you playing ABC's White House shill, handing out snappy and imperious disinformation to adoring cult members to counter the facts from the "real" news people?

Is this why they assigned you to "Popular Culture"? (i.e. Networks have decided you "represent"?)

Oh right, Tony Snow's job might open up again soon...

"velvet mafia"? Interesting. I'll have to remember that one.

As far as the closet goes, please, the man is a devout catholic. He was probably so far in the closet by the time he got to DC, he wouldn't be able to find his way out, even if he wanted to.

It sure seems to me that the next story should be whether the Christian Right, with all the reports of sexual predatory behavior and the claim by top Republican officials that they are conservative "Christians" is actually more prone to produce such behavior.

We've certainly seen plenty of reports in the last couple of years - and the coverups by top Republican House officials only underscores to me that something is rotten in conservative morality land. Why not look at them to see if there are indicators that it is their attitudes which encourage such behavior?

(1) When did Brian Ross become aware of the existence of the instant messages?

(2) Were the pages who gave the IMs to ABC News were the same pages that participated in the instant messaging sessions, or if the IMs were turned over to ABC News by other Congressional pages who were not participants in the IMs.

Jake, you've done an extremely commendable job in reporting Speaker Hastert's predicament and in researching the history of gays in the government (special kudos to you for mentioning Alan Drury's excellent "Advise and Consent"!). Ultimately, though, what I find hilarious about the whole matter is the reaction of the conservative activists who believe that aberrant predatory sexual behavior is a result of a more tolerant society.

Or, as you quoted in the second article you linked to, "As a society we've made diversity and tolerance the guidepost of public life," Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council told ABC News. "Maybe we shouldn't be surprised that we have Congressmen chasing after sixteen year old boys." Does Mr. Perkins seriously think that such behavior wouldn't have happened in the less-diverse and less-tolerant past? This reaction to the Foley scandal certainly seems bigoted and extremely nearsighted, not to mention ignorant of the etiology of aberrant behavior. Mr. Perkins once again proves that, just as "military intelligence" is a contradiction in terms, so is "gay Republican."