First up is Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Per Reynolds' hometown paper, The Buffalo News, "The committee has received $330,000 from (disgraced Rep. Mark) Foley in less than three years. That includes $100,000 this summer, after Reynolds learned of the messages."
Hush money, perhaps?
Not according to Reynolds, who claims he did his job by reporting Foley's transgressions against underage Congressional pages to his GOP and House superior, Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), in this highly unusual apology ad, entitled "Facts".
Check it out for yourself to see if you think the defense works (Hey, he told his boss, lay off!) or hurts (Someone at Reynolds' level didn't actually do anything or follow up?)
As a rule, apologies of this sort are a sign of weakness, but done right they can sometimes put a nasty issue behind you. They key is usually believing the sinner has actually repented. But what if the sinner admits to one transgression, while denying another?
Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA)is accused of not only having a mistress, but having attempted to strangle her. The somewhat tricky reporting of this is actually a case study for a Penn State communications study course, details here.
While Sherwood has somehow made the lawsuit by the mistress go away, the taint hasn't, prompting the 64-year-old Congressman to make this apology ad "Count on Me", with staging reminiscent of Reynolds' spot.
Watch Sherwood admit to the affair, but absolutely deny the "allegation of abuse." Then decide, if you were a voter in Pennsylvania's 10th, if you'd give him a -- er -- pass.
Funny thing is, with USA Today/Gallup reporting a staggering 23% lead by Democrats in the upcoming Congressional election, maybe voters want Republicans to apologize about more than just some sleazy sex scandals.
Then again, sometimes an apology just won't do.
(As always, Politi-flicks is cross-posted to The Daily Reel.)
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