Text 23757, 130 rader
Skriven 2006-10-11 19:30:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: Shays
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Excellent...

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http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-
foley1011.artoct11,0,4392221.story?coll=hc-headlines-politics


Shays Hits Hard In Page Scandal
 Invokes Chappaquiddick In Rebuking Farrell; Polls Show Issue Not 
Helping Democrats
October 11, 2006 
By DAVID LIGHTMAN, Washington Bureau Chief  WASHINGTON -- When the 
congressional page scandal broke last month, Democrats across the 
country saw a chance to lambaste Republican leadership - including Diane 
Farrell, who called on House Speaker Dennis Hastert to step down.

But when Sen. Edward M. Kennedy came to Connecticut last week to help 
her campaign, Rep. Christopher Shays hit back.
 
"I know the speaker didn't go over a bridge and leave a young person in 
the water, and then have a press conference the next day," said Shays, R-
4th District, referring to the 1969 incident in which the Massachusetts 
Democrat drove a car that plunged into the water and a young campaign 
worker died.

"Dennis Hastert didn't kill anybody," he added.

Shays' words were emblematic of the increasing bitterness over the 
fallout from the conduct of former Florida Rep. Mark Foley, a scandal 
that may not be helping Democrats as much as they had hoped.

The GOP had seemed to be in deep political trouble a week ago, when many 
Democrats were stridently insisting that Hastert quit - and pressing 
their Republican opponents to make the same demand.

But so far, the Democrats' idea to make Hastert the villain has not 
worked.

An ABC News/Washington Post survey taken Oct. 5 to 8 found that three of 
every four respondents did not think Democrats would have handled the 
Foley matter any better, and roughly two in three thought Democrats were 
pursuing the matter for political gain, not to raise legitimate 
concerns.

"The Foley scandal has not earned the Republican leadership any 
goodwill, but neither does it look like a point of differentiation for 
the Democrats," poll director Gary Langer said.

A Pew Research Center survey taken Sept. 21 to Oct. 4 had similar 
findings. Before the Foley scandal broke, voters preferred Democrats to 
Republicans by 13 percentage points - and after the congressman resigned 
Sept. 29, the margin was the same.

Job approval of Republican leaders, 33 percent before Foley quit, went 
up 1 percentage point afterward.

In the days ahead, said some analysts, Democrats need to be careful they 
do not appear to be leading a lynch mob.

"It could look to some people like they're not interested in due 
process," said Richard F. Fenno Jr., professor emeritus of political 
science at the University of Rochester.

Such doubts about whether Democrats' calls for resignation are being 
accepted are prodding Republicans to take roads lofty and not so lofty.

Shays, Reps. Rob Simmons, R-2nd District, and Nancy L. Johnson, R-5th 
District, have made carefully worded statements they hope will portray 
them as both tough and fair.

"If any leader from either party tried to cover up this information at 
the expense of the safety of our children, then they should resign their 
position immediately," Johnson said, adding it would be "reprehensible 
if any Republican leader intentionally covered up the full facts of the 
case."

They all stopped short of naming names, but Shays went further, drawing 
a link between Hastert and Kennedy.

"We don't know what he has or hasn't done," Shays said of Hastert. "But 
she had a fundraiser for Sen. Kennedy, and we know what he did."

Farrell was incredulous - "my jaw dropped," she said, when she heard 
Shays' comments, and she said Chappaquiddick had nothing to do with 
Hastert's current plight.

In July 1969, Kennedy drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick 
Island off Massachusetts. Mary Jo Kopechne, a 28-year-old campaign 
worker riding in the car, was trapped in the vehicle and died.

Kennedy left the accident scene, waited several hours before telling 
police, and a week later made a nationally televised speech to explain 
his actions. He later pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident 
after causing injury, and received a two-month suspended sentence.

Shays' point is that if Farrell is going to host Kennedy, she has no 
business judging Hastert at this point. "Democrats keep talking about 
denying him and others their rights," Shays said.

Farrell blasted back at Shays, saying he "has taken the political 
approach first" rather than making concern for the pages his paramount 
interest. Farrell, whose daughter was a page four years ago, said "it's 
Congress' responsibility" to protect not only the pages, but the parents 
"like me and my husband."

Because Hastert was in charge, she said, he should step aside until the 
investigation is complete.

Other Democrats agreed, and said they would continue to seek Hastert's 
removal.

"You don't have to find the speaker guilty of a crime to say he 
shouldn't lead the House," said Sarah Merriam, campaign manager for 
Chris Murphy, Johnson's Democratic opponent. "Leadership has 
responsibilities, and it has to take responsibility when something like 
this happens."

Analysts warned that Democrats need to be circumspect as the House 
Ethics Committee and the FBI continue their probes.

"Democrats need to be careful," said Lance deHaven-Smith, professor of 
public policy at Florida State University. "This could backfire on 
them."

Contact David Lightman at dlightman@courant.com.


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