Help me out here...

DeLay says he's the victim of a partisan fanatic. The investigation is meritless, no proof, yada, yada, yada... Further, he explains that Earle's "witch hunt" will cost the Texas tax payers millions of wasted dollars.

The indictment hinges on the transfer of identical amounts ($190,000) to and from DeLay's TRMPAC and the Republican National Committee. Subsequently, $190,000 went to the election coffers of several of DeLay's buddies.

So here's and idea... Why not just explain the money transfer fully in a way the average American can understand it? And while you're at it, please explain how a man who so tightly controls every aspect of a huge political machine that he has become arguably the most feared/revered man in American politics DID NOT KNOW that these idential amounts were flowing in and out of his cherished organization. Wouldn't that be for the best?

Not that I'm asking you to Do Ronnie Earle's job, but in the interest of fairness to you and the important work you do between photo ops with evacuee children, shouldn't you just clear this up? I mean it's not like your ethics have ever been questioned, or that your golfing pal is under investigation by the government or anything. So let's just clear it up shall we?

oh...My...GOD!

DeLay as been indicted. On the karma scale, this is one step below Karl Rove getting a subpoena over the Plame scandal. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy. First Katrina, then Frist, now DeLay... Not the best month for the GOP. More later after I scour the blogosphere.

Special shout outs to Ragged Thots visitors; I appreciate the link back, Robert.

Friday morning update...

A discussion I'm having with a poster on another board. This guy is a real hoot. There are posts in between, but you can follow us.

Open Letter to GOP recruiters

To whom it may concern:

I am a telegenic, articulate, working, married father of two who owns his own house and a small business. Before you come knocking on my door, there are a few ground rules.

Rule No. 1
No discussion of "The Party of Lincoln" without claiming Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms too. I know American history well enough, thank you. I also know that Thurmond was only a Democrat until the party decided to stand up for the rights of Black people. Then he jumped ship (while denying his own half-Black daughter) and led the drive to keeping a strong segregated state. Leave Lincoln in his grave (besides, we both know he didn't really emancipate very many don't we?)

Rule No. 2
Liberal is not a bad word. It does not mean that Democrats love big government and spending tax dollars foolishly. That's Bush's job. Nor does it mean that I have been stroked and manipulated by a Leftist cabal that wants to think for me. Convince me on the merits of what YOU bring to the table. Bear in mind, that means owning up to the race-baiting tactics of Reagan, Bush 1 and Bush 2/Rove.

Rule No. 3
Fiscal conservatism is NOT the same as Social conservatism (see above). I am NOT a fan of high taxes, but recognize that we have to pay for the programs that support our society. I think the death penalty is fine, but Alaskan pork is not. Like Frist, I think stem cells are cool, but having faith-based hacks at the FDA stop Plan B really ticks me off. Not to mention that paying $3 for gas is ridiculous. This stuff is happening on YOUR WATCH. What exactly are you bringing to the table???

Rule No. 4
Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton predate me. I didn't choose them and they aren't "my leaders." Don't even mention them as a deflection from your own failings. I see them for what they are. Besides, I got two words for you... Ann Coulter. You wanna stack that shrill harpy against the Reverends? Be my guest...

Rule No. 5
Stop hating on Clinton. He got a blow-job, so what?!?!? Gas was $.98 and we had a budget surplus. He was a big, fat target because of his big, fat intern, but he wasn't NEARLY as bad as you make him out to be. Dubya is better?!?!? Puh-lease. Leave the man alone.

Rule No. 6
I was going to steer clear of this, but I can't. Mychal Massie is a jack-ass (I won't link to him on principle). I've met some Black Republicans that are reasonable people. They can engage in dialog without resorting to Coulterian rants and discuss their opinions civilly. However, Massie gives your recruitment efforts a bad name. He's loud, overly self-aware and unaccountably vain. Demagogues like him send a bad message. Get a leash on Limbaugh and O'Reilly while you're at it. Sheesh.

If you made it this far, maybe we have something to talk about. I won't hold my breath.

Whither art thou, Condi?

A brief aside on the topic of Sista-SOULs...Ms. Rice's parents named her Condoleezza because of their affection for classical music. Her mother, a music teacher, selected Condoleezza as an interpretation of the Italian term "con dolcezza" meaning "with sweetness." Ahem. That's pretty soulful, if you know what I mean. Soulful in the way that a son might be named Anfernee in lieu of Anthony for instance. I just raise this point to indicate that even the highest ranked Black personage in the country is only a hearbeat away from being named Sforzando Jenkins because his mama thinks it sounds pretty.

This is a woman who emerged onto the international scene with commendable credentials. Earning her PhD at age 26, she was a strong academician who rose through the ranks to become Provost of Stanford. She served on many corporate Boards, racked up some honorary degrees, lectured on the Soviet Union and made a name for herself as a driven, intelligent woman. And then she took a job with Dubya...

Condoleezza Rice HAS sold her soul. Not her Angela Davis, afro-pick, fist-raised, Black-Power Soul-Sista SOUL--if she ever had one--but her rational, intelligent, thinking individual soul. As National Security Advisor (First Woman! First African-American!), she was part of the circle that thwarted in-depth analysis of the 9/11 terrorist attack. And this after having ignored a report about Bin Laden's desire to use planes as weapons.

Colin Powell is a Republican, but he has principles. When he saw that America had been lied to and that HE was part of the lie, he quit. Condoleezza, who was part of that debacle, accepted a promotion (and a pay increase BTW).

She is perfectly content to live in Bush's bubble and will probably be OK for the rest of her life. But she is only a hair's breadth away from being Mike-Browned into obscurity if things get much worse for Dubya. She's NOT Rove... She's NOT Cheney... Come what may, those cats are bullet-proof. But Condi's controversial and unbending refusal to accept reality in favor of keeping cushy with Bushy has cast a reflection on her intellectual abilities. She will raise eyebrows wherever she tries to go next, and she only has 1,224 days of protection from the worst President in modern history.

She will find that she may need her soul again someday... Good Luck on getting it back.

Barbara Bush, Political Liability

My homegirl has just posted an incredible essay about the despicable comments of Bush 41's wife, Barbara Bush. To call her the "First Lady" affords her a level of respect of which she has proven unworthy.

Her comments are so perfect, I won't waste your time with my take. Just go there now.

Thank God for Clinton...

Suzanne Malveaux just finished interviewing POTUS 41 and 42 about their fundraising efforts. Both were offering the expected statements about support when something phenomenal happened. In response to Malveaux's question about international aid, Clinton related a story about how Sri Lanka (SRI LANKA!) was working to organize fund-raising efforts among the TSUNAMI-AFFECTED NATIONS to help our folks over here. He said that as poor as these countries were, they understood that the people devastated by our disaster were poor too and they wanted to help. I tell you, a palpable sense of warmth spread through my body. Clinton had captured a single story and transformed the tragedy (however briefly) into a statement of universal caring and hope.

Moments later, Malveaux dropped the bomb shell everyone had been waiting for... did this administration do enough? Papa Bush stumbled out of the gate, but Clinton recovered deftly and shot out his hand, taking control. He calmly explained that whatever happened before, the priority now was saving lives. They're getting the busses in NOW. They're trying to save people NOW. All discussion of political squabbling could be tabled for later. There were more important priorities.

I tell you, Dubya's pledge to restore dignity to the White House couldn't have been more ironic. Clinton embodied the very best Presidential attributes during his brief appearance in this crisis AND during the tsunami horror. I find it interesting that a person who was so villified by the sitting Prez has been the go-to-guy for the second major emergency this year.