Re: The Foley scandal. Does this help or hurt?

[beachmom]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2875440

[wisteria]

1. I think this was a case of a Dem trying to do the right thing and assuming

no one was going to be willing to listen in the Repub party. The media certainly didn't want to take on the Repubs with this, and chances were very good that this information would of been discarded as a Democratic trick by the Republicans. If the information to the Dem came from a Repub, than, the Republican had the obligation to bring it to the Repub leadership. I would like to hear that the Democrat tried to bring it to their attention,even if it meant being accused of partisanship. Imagine how good our party would have looked being the ones to call attention to this, suffering through the slings and arrows, and finally being proven correct.
This is one instance where honest dialog and non-partisan behavior along with a truly free press, could of helped take care of this matter long ago.

The Republican radio ilk, will spin this as, the Dem's knew and held onto the information until it was advantageous to us it against the Repubs. Hannity has been on this possibility for days now. This is what he was waiting for. You know how it goes, the liberal media and the Dems conspired to ruin the Republicans. Playing politics knowing young men where being compromised by Foley. My hope is that Republicans knew about it as far back as 2000 as is being reported, then the finger can still be pointed at them for covering it up and protecting Foley.

[sandnsea]

2. Depends on whether we hit back hard

I think it proves that no Democrat had any intention of using this for election year campaigning since this Democrat tried to get the story out a long long time ago. The question is, will the leadership panic and retreat, or state the obvious, that it's impossible to hold anyone accountable in this hostile and secretive DC atmosphere.